A New Beginning
by Sammiemoosam
Summary: The Doctor/OC (friendship-plus). Rose Tyler and Evelyn Viviana Davis are two teen girls who just so happen to work at the same shop in London. What happens when both of them meet the Doctor? Why does Viviana seem so different from your average 19 year old? What does the Doctor know that she doesn't? What happens when the "Bad Wolves" arise? First in The Lost Princess's Journal.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! Welcome to the first entry of The Lost Princess's Journal. This is a Doctor/OC pairing story and will be a revision of Series 1. Each episode will be one chapter, each varying in length.

My OC's name is Evelyn Viviana Davis and she goes by Viviana. She's a short, petite girl with green eyes and extremely long brown hair. She is 19 years old and lives in London, but is American. The link for her outfit is on my profile.

_'italics'_ is telepathic communication between the Doctor and Viviana in later chapters.

~)8(~ is a scene break

This story will be told from Viviana's point of view unless I feel a POV change is necessary. There will be very few POV changes if any at all.

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who in any way.

* * *

**Episode 1: "Rose"**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Rose and Viviana**

Being an American girl in the heart of London wasn't exactly easy, even though I had been living there for just over nine years. Being a 19 year old wasn't easy either. I had graduated high school at 16 and got a job at Henrik's. I didn't exactly need the money, but I liked working there. I had nothing else to do. Up until last year, I had been taking care of and living with my Grandpapa. He died though, leaving me no family, nowhere to go, and his entire fortune.

My mother had died during childbirth, and I never knew my father. He left Mom before he knew she was pregnant with me. I was given to my mom's sister and I lived with her in Colorado until she died in a car accident when I was ten. Then, I was shipped off to my last relative, Grandpapa. He was a famous, British author, but he lived in a small, dingy apartment in the heart of London. It was barely big enough for the two of us, but he stubbornly refused to leave the place. When cancer claimed him, I was heartbroken. I didn't know what to do. I had no other living relatives that I knew of and I had just turned 18. I didn't move out of the apartment, but the experience of living on my own was new, and something I still wasn't comfortable with a year later.

One year ago today, Grandpapa was taken from me. I allowed a tear to fall down my cheek as I walked to the store for work. I would be working all day today, hopefully that would keep me from grieving and feeling too sad. He wouldn't want that. I quickly calmed my emotions while I walked into the store. It wasn't too busy, despite the sale we had going. I was thankful for that though, too many people at once always had a tendency to overwhelm me. I quickly stashed my bag and set to work for the day. I vowed to myself that today would be like any other day. I was going to pretend that I didn't have a reason to grieve or act sad. I was going to make sure that this day would go normally.

Hours later, I was ready to go home and curl up with a good book. A guard didn't seem to have that idea though because he waved lottery money in front of me and my co-worker, Rose Tyler. We groaned in unison before snatching the money and making our way to the elevator. The ride down was awkward, seeing as Rose and I had only spoken about two words to each other in our lives. I wasn't even sure she knew my name. Many people didn't though, so I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't either. Rose and I finally stepped out of the elevator when it arrived at the very bottom, where Wilson, the chief electrician, worked.

"Wilson!" Rose called out in her cockney accent. I looked over at the blonde girl quickly, startled by her accent. You'd think that almost a decade in England would make me used to the accents, but evidently not. After all that time, I had managed to keep my American accent, but I sometimes used British vocabulary. I remained silent as Rose continued to call out for the man. I was never a big talker, even in my childhood. I wasn't shy; I just preferred to stay silent sometimes. "I can't hang about, 'cause they're closing the shop." I began to look around, confused. Where was Wilson? There wasn't any sign of him anywhere in the basement.

"Wilson!" Rose continued in front of his office door. Rose and I suddenly turned when we heard a noise behind us.

"Hello?" I called.

"Hello, Wilson, it's Rose and…" she trailed off looking at me apologetically.

"Viviana," I answered quietly.

"It's Rose and Viviana. Hello!" Rose called out.

"Wilson?" I called. Something was wrong. Wilson never left before the shop closed, and if he did, we would know about it. Rose and I heard noises coming from inside a storage room. I quickly walked to it and opened the door. No one seemed to be in there, but Rose and I went in anyway. I reached to my right and flicked on the lights, revealing boxes and rows of mannequins.

"Wilson!" Rose called into the room hopefully. Rose and I walked farther into the room, but stayed near each other. This room obviously gave us both the creeps. Rose and I called out once more before walking over to a door in the storage room. Rose tried to open it, but we both whirled around at the sound of the storage room door slamming. My eyes widened and I dashed over to it, Rose on my heels. Rose and I tugged on the doors, but they wouldn't budge. Clanging noises started sounding and Rose and I turned frightful eyes towards the noise.

"Is that someone mucking about?" Rose called. The slightly fear in her voice was evident, and I felt the same way. I began walking farther into the room again, hoping to see someone.

"Who's there?" I asked. I didn't get an answer, but I wasn't expecting one. Rose followed me and we walked slowly, towards the clanking noises. Then, we heard a few creaks behind us. Rose and I turned around in time to stare in confusion at the moving mannequin. Others began moving as well. So much for my normal day.

"You got us, very funny," Rose stated nervously. "Right, we've got the joke!" Rose's voice was more firm this time. The mannequins kept approaching and soon, Rose and I were pressed up against a wall. Rose grabbed my hand tightly and I squeezed back. I was a frightened as she was. What the hell was going on? The mannequins raised their arms over their heads in unison and I shut my eyes, waiting for whatever came next. Suddenly, I felt my free hand being taken a hold off. I whipped my head to the left and saw a tall man with short brown hair, blue eyes, and a leather jacket.

"Run," he said quietly, but urgently. I immediately obeyed and tugged Rose behind me and the mysterious man. The mannequins chased after the three of us as we raced to the elevator. The man pulled Rose and I into the elevator and we watched as he tore the arm off of the mannequin trying to get inside the elevator.

"You pulled his arm off," Rose said slightly disgusted. I was more surprised than grossed out. It was a real mannequin's arm, not some plastic arm covering meant for a costume. Maybe this wasn't a prank after all.

"Yep," the man answered simply. He tossed the arm to Rose. "Plastic."

"Very clever. Nice trick. Who are they then, students? Is this a student thing or what?" Rose asked panting.

"Why would they be students?" the man asked her.

"I don't know."

"Well you said it. Why students?"

"Cause…" Rose seemed to think about it for a few seconds, "to get that many people dressed up and being silly, they gotta be students." The man turned and faced her with a smile on his face.

"That makes sense, well done," he said to her.

"Thanks."

"They're not students," the man said seriously.

"Whoever they are, when Wilson finds them he's going to call the police," Rose said as a matter-of-factly.

"Who's Wilson?" the man asked turning to look at her again.

"Chief electrician," Rose answered. I was half paying attention to their conversation when the elevator doors opened.

"Wilson's dead," the man said emotionlessly before stepping out of the elevator. I saw Rose's face drop, but she soon recomposed herself as we followed the man out of the elevator. Rose started spouting questions at him but he ignored her and pulled out some sort of tube thing. A blue light flashed at the elevator button, causing it to short out. I flinched slightly and so did Rose, but she continued questioning the man. He walked right past her though.

"I said, who are they!" Rose called after him. She and I jogged to catch up to him.

"They're made of plastic. Living plastic creatures. They're being controlled by a relay device on the roof. Which would be a great problem if I didn't have this," the man said pulling a strange device out and showing it to us. "So, I'm going to go upstairs and blow it up. And I might well die in the process, but don't worry about me, no. You go on. Go on. Go and have your lovely beans on toast. Don't tell anyone about this because you might get them killed." The man had ushered Rose and I outside by now and he turned and left. He was certainly a strange man, but he seemed to know what he was doing. Rose and I turned to leave when the door behind us opened again.

"I'm the Doctor, by the way. What's your name?" he asked looking at Rose.

"Rose," she replied.

"And you?" he asked suddenly turning to me. I looked at him in slight surprise.

"Viviana," I answered.

"Nice to meet you, Viviana, Rose. Run for your lives!" The Doctor's slightly crazed look returned and he shut the door behind him again. Rose and I looked at each other before grabbing hands and running off. I gripped my messenger bag to my shoulder, and ran as fast as I could. We soon crossed the street and watched as our work building exploded. Rose and I watched slight panic unfold around us before dashing off again, Rose in the lead. I had no idea where we were going, but at the time, I didn't care. I just wanted to get somewhere safe, away from exploding buildings, live mannequins, and the weirdness of my day.

Rose had led me to what I assumed was her flat. I walked in and saw a woman sitting in front of the TV.

"Rose!" she called getting up to hug her. It was obvious that this was Rose's mother.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Rose's mom asked. Rose nodded, still in slight shock.

"We got out in time," Rose said looking at me. Rose's mom seemed to notice me for the first time.

"Who's this?" she asked Rose.

"I'm Viviana," I said holding out a hand.

"Jackie," she replied shaking it. "Are you American?" I nodded.

"Born and partly raised," I answered with a small smile. Jackie gave me a warm look.

"Would you two like some tea?" she asked.

"Tea would be nice, thanks Mum," Rose answered. I turned to her once Jackie had disappeared into the kitchen.

"I think I should go," I said kind of awkwardly.

"Oh no, don't!" Rose protested grabbing my arm. "I think you should stay. I don't think you should be alone."

"I appreciate the thought, but I don't want to intrude."

"You're not! I want you to stay!"

"I don't have anything with me," I said looking at myself. This seemed to dawn on Rose.

"Mum, we'll be right back! Viv and I are going to her place to get some stuff! She's staying the night!" Rose called towards the kitchen. Without waiting for an answer, Rose pulled my out of the apartment. It was surprising how close I lived to Rose, only a ten minute walk. I unlocked my door and made my way into the small, slightly cluttered apartment. Rose sat on the couch and waited while I went into the bedroom. I grabbed an overnight bag and stuffed my pajamas, a change of clothes, and essentials into it. I grabbed a few more things, like Grandpapa's hat, my teddy bear, and my mother's ring. I slipped the sapphire and diamond ring onto my finger and walked out of the bedroom. Rose stood as I shouldered my messenger bag, with my laptop, cell phone, and keys. We quickly made our way back to Rose's flat and I dropped my stuff in her room. The night passed in a blur, I wasn't sure what happened for the remainder of it before I passed out on the couch. I was woken when the door of Rose's flat slammed.

"I've been phoning your mobile, you could've been dead. It's on the news and everything!" A guy said walking into the living room. He sat down next to Rose, not even noticing I was there. He suddenly hugged her, despite Rose's reassurances that she was okay. The guy started questioning Rose about what happened, but she kept our promise to the Doctor and didn't tell him. She hadn't told Jackie either. Jackie came into the room with the phone, asking Rose if she wanted to do an interview about the occurrence. Rose immediately took the phone and hung up on whoever was on the other line.

"We'll you've got to find some way of making money. Both of you," Jackie said looking at me and Rose. The guy finally seemed to notice me, but I paid him no mind. The phone started ringing again and Jackie immediately started talking to whoever it was. I liked Jackie, but I rolled my eyes at her as she exaggerated about the situation to whoever the person was.

"Who are you?" the guy suddenly asked me.

"I'm Viviana," I merely said. Mickey shot Rose a look, questioning her about me.

"Viv and I were together when the explosion happened," she explained. "She's staying the night. Viviana, this is Mickey, my boyfriend." I gave him a small smile but didn't say anything, and Mickey didn't reply either. Mickey then started protesting about the fact that Rose was drinking tea. He claimed that she needed something stronger and I fought the urge to roll my eyes at him.

"Let's go down to the pub, you and me. My treat," he said trying to coax her out of the flat.

"Is there a match on?" I asked cheekily, some of my British vocab coming through. I always had a knack for picking out people's real motives for doing something. Grandpapa always praised me for it. Aunt Maggie always thought it was a little weird though. Rose smirked at Mickey with me while he had a slightly guilty look on his face. He tried to lie his way out of it, but Rose and I smirked at each other.

"Well, that's not the point. We could catch the last five minutes," Mickey admitted.

"Go on then. I'm fine really, go," Rose said tiredly. "Get rid of that." I looked over to where Rose was pointing and saw the mannequin arm. I didn't notice that she had carried it all the way here from the store. Mickey got up and picked up the arm before pretending that it was choking him. I tensed up slightly, thinking about tonight, but relaxed once Mickey stopped. Rose sighed and turned her attention back to the TV. She soon turned it off though and heaved herself off the couch.

"Come on, you can share my room," she said. I got up and followed her into her room. I grabbed my stuff before changing into my pajamas in her bathroom. I let my bun out and watched as it unravelled. I took the ponytail holder out of my hair and let my brunette locks hang loose. I was about to walk back into Rose's room, but Rose walked into the bathroom.

"Oh, Viviana, your hair is so pretty," she said with a smile. A shy smile came to my face. I wasn't used to compliments, unless they came from Aunt Maggie or Grandpapa. I looked at my hair in her mirror. It was straight and brown, nothing special. I guess she meant its length. When I was little, I always liked to keep my hair short, but once I moved to London, I began letting it grow out. My hair now reached past my hips. I quickly braided it though and walked back into Rose's room. She soon followed and I was about to make myself comfortable on the floor when she patted the seat next to her.

"Tell me about you," she requested with a smile. I couldn't help but return it as I sat on her bed.

"What do you want to know?" I asked.

"Where were you born? Where are your folks? Why do you live in England?" she asked quickly. I giggled at her excited expression before answering.

"I was born in New York, but I lived in Colorado with my Aunt Maggie. My mom had died during childbirth and I never knew my father. He and Mom were never married and they split up before either of them knew she was pregnant. When I was 10, Aunt Maggie died in a car accident and I was sent over here to live with my grandpapa. He died last year though, I inherited everything of his, my aunt's and my mom's, and here I am," I said. Rose's excited look fell as I told her my sob story.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know," Rose said quietly. I waved off her apology.

"It's alright. I miss Aunt Maggie and Grandpapa, but nothing can bring them back. I try not to dwell on the past, it makes life too difficult," I said with a smile. Rose returned it. "What about you?" I asked.

"Just me and Mum. No siblings and my dad died when I was a baby," she said. "But let's not share our sob stories all night!" I laughed with Rose and we spent half of the night getting to know each other. Hours later, it felt like we had known each other since diapers. We eventually calmed down and went to sleep. I thought about how, maybe Rose and I could be really good friends. I always had a hard time making friends in school, so I didn't have many, but maybe, now I could have one.

~)8(~

I woke up to the sound of an alarm clock. It was turned off and I could've easily gone back to sleep, but then I noticed that I was not in my bedroom. I looked around, slightly panicked, before seeing Rose's head popping up from under her covers. I calmed down, remembering that I had stayed the night at her place. I was pretty sure my hair was a colossal mess but then I saw Rose's and I felt a little better about myself. Her blonde hair was sticking up in all different directions and her hazel-brown eyes were darker than normal.

"There's no point in getting up, sweetheart. You've got no job to go to," I heard Jackie say from inside the flat. Rose and I looked at each other tiredly before heaving ourselves up. I walked into the bathroom and stripped out of my pajamas. Thank God I had showered yesterday morning before work. I pulled on a pair of black jeans, a blue tank top, and a pair of vans. I brushed my hair out before pulling it back into a side braid. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and shoved everything back into my overnight bag. I pulled out Grandpapa's hat though and put it on. It fit me and went well with my outfit. I always liked this hat, and wearing it made him feel closer to me. I walked out of the bathroom, feeling better and less drowsy than before. Rose walked into the bathroom behind me and I set my things down at the foot of her bed. I walked out of Rose's bedroom and saw Jackie in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Ms. Tyler," I said with a smile. Jackie turned and smiled at me.

"Just call me Jackie, love," she replied. "Would you like some tea?"

"Um, yes. Thank you." Jackie soon brought me a steaming up and I drank some gratefully.

"That's a beautiful necklace," Jackie said. I looked down and saw what she was talking about. I smiled sadly, remembering that it used to be Aunt Maggie's.

"Thank you. It was my Aunt's. One of her favorite things to do was gaze at the moon and stars. We lived in the mountains, you know, so there were no city lights to get in the way. There were always so many stars out, way more than here in London. Every Saturday for as long as I lived with her, we could go outside and sit on the roof, just watching the stars until we were nearly falling over with exhaustion," I said reminiscing. Jackie smiled at me.

"Where is she now?"

"Oh, well, Aunt Maggie passed away nine years ago," I said sadly.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Viviana," Jackie cried out. I laughed.

"It's okay, really. Thank you for the tea, Jackie," I said smiling. Jackie returned it right as Rose walked into the kitchen. She grabbed an apple and went to sit at the table sadly. Jackie and I sat down with her and Jackie started making job suggestions. Jackie started walking away though as she started saying to us that we could get compensation. Rose and I rolled our eyes in unison at her before returning our gazes to the table. Then I heard a flapping noise. Rose and I walked to the door, where we found nails on the floor in front of a cat flap. The flap suddenly moved and Rose and I jumped. I set down the nail I was examining and Rose and I exchanged a look. I slowly reached out and pushed the flap forward, only to reveal a familiar face looking inside. I gasped and stood up, dropping the flap. Rose opened the door to reveal the Doctor standing up.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"I live here!" Rose shot back, also not quite believing that he was asking her that.

"Well what'd you do that for?"

"Because I do. I'm only home because someone blew up my job," Rose retorted. The Doctor wasn't fazed though and looked more confused and frustrated than anything.

"Must've got the wrong signal," he muttered turning on that tube of his again. The blue light and buzzing started before he turned off the device. "You're not plastic are you?" The Doctor hit both of us on the forehead a couple times, making me more confused than I already was. "Nope, boneheads, bye now!" The Doctor turned to leave. I reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Oh, no you don't," I declared pulling him into the flat. I was annoyed with this "Doctor" and I wanted answers. Rose closed the door as Jackie called out.

"Who is it?"

"It's about last night. Give us ten minutes," Rose explained to Jackie.

"They deserve compensation," Jackie demanded. The Doctor agreed with her and started up a conversation, making me roll my eyes slightly. I walked past him into the living room where Rose was cleaning.

"Don't mind the mess," she said to the Doctor. "Do you want a coffee?"

"Might as well, thanks. Just milk."

"Viviana?" Rose asked.

"No thanks!" I called. The Doctor started looking around the living room. He picked up a magazine and started flipping through it.

"We should go to the police, seriously!" Rose said. The Doctor ignored her though as she continued to ramble.

"That won't last. He's gay and she's an alien," he said looking at a picture in the magazine. I stifled a laugh, but the Doctor heard it and looked up at me with a kind smile. The Doctor put the magazine down and picked up a book, quickly riffling through it. Rose was still talking in the kitchen but I wasn't paying attention to her anymore. I watched the Doctor as he continued his strange antics. He suddenly looked in the mirror.

"Ah, could've been worse. Look at the ears," he said. I gave him a weird look.

"Who are you?" I asked him. He looked at me.

"Why do you look familiar?" he asked ignoring my question.

"I asked first," I said crossing my arms. The Doctor got a slightly annoyed look in his eyes.

"I'm the Doctor, now what's your last name?" he asked me. I rolled my eyes at his vague answer, but answered him.

"My real name is Evelyn Davis. Viviana is my middle name and the name I use," I explained. It was true. I only used Viviana, no one called me Evelyn. Aunt Maggie had always called me Eve, but when I moved to England, Grandpapa started calling me Viviana. I had grown so used to the name that I didn't use Evelyn anymore. I watched the Doctor's eyes as the lit up in recognition.

"As in the only living relative of Nathaniel Davis? The famous author?" I nodded and the Doctor grinned widely.

"Fantastic! I am such a huge fan! His books are fantastic!" The Doctor said excitedly. I couldn't help but giggle at him. He almost looked like a five year old in a sweet shop. I was about the reply when I heard a noise coming from behind the couch. I closed my eyes in frustration. I was so done with strange noises.

"What's that, then?" the Doctor asked walking over behind the couch. "Have you got a cat?"

"No?" Rose replied from the kitchen. An object suddenly flew out and took a hold of the Doctor's neck. I saw it more clearly and saw that it was the mannequin's arm from last night. I thought Mickey took that with him. I rushed forward to help him when he started struggling to get the arm off of his neck, it was choking him. I tugged, but the arm wouldn't budge. Rose walked into the room, not realizing what was going on.

"Rose!" I said frantically. She looked up and rolled her eyes.

"He's faking it, Viv. Anyway, I don't even know your name. Doctor what-was-it?" Rose asked before the hand flew off of the Doctor and took ahold of Rose's face. The Doctor and I rushed forward to help her, and soon, the arm came off, only to grab onto my throat. I felt my air supply cut off and I struggled to breathe as the Doctor and Rose tried to tug it off me. The Doctor and I suddenly fell back, breaking the glass table in the living room. I was soon off the floor again and on the couch, seriously struggling to breathe now. How could a plastic arm have so much strength? The Doctor suddenly pulled out his tube thing and switched it on. He put it against the arm and a couple seconds later, it fell limp, becoming a normal, plastic arm.

"There you go, I stopped it. Harmless," he said tossing the arm to Rose. I took a few deep breaths, grateful that air was finally able to return to my lungs.

"You think?" Rose asked uncertainly. Rose then whacked him with the arm, causing him to wince in pain. Then, the Doctor stood up and started walking towards the door. Rose and I exchanged a look before dashing after him. I grabbed my leather jacket and pulled it on as I followed Rose and the Doctor down the stairs.

"Hold on a minute! You can't just go swanning off!" Rose called after the Doctor.

"Yes I can, here I am. This is me, swanning off," the Doctor replied calmly with the mannequin arm in hand. "See you!"

"That arm was moving. It tried to kill me. It tried to kill Viviana," Rose protested. "You can't just walk away! That's not fair! You've got to tell us what's going on!"

"No I don't," the Doctor said. I rolled my eyes at him; I could practically hear the grin on his face. Rose and I followed him out of the building.

"Alright then. I'll go to the police. I'll tell them everything," Rose stated. The Doctor didn't even look back at her.

"Please tell us, Doctor," I requested softly. He paused in his steps slightly before continuing to walk away.

"Who are you?" Rose asked.

"I told you. The Doctor," he stated. I was really getting annoyed with that answer, and Rose was too.

"Yeah, but Doctor what?" Rose asked.

"Just the Doctor."

"The Doctor?"

"Hello!" The Doctor said with a wave and a grin. I came up from behind him and Rose and walked on the other side of him. His pace was hard to keep up with, I was half jogging, but I managed. I was really curious about this man for some reason, more curious than I should've been.

"Is that supposed to sound impressive?" I asked with a smirk. The Doctor turned his face towards me.

"Sort of," he answered with a grin. I shook my head, trying to hide the smile that was threatening to make its way onto my face.

"Are you the police?" Rose asked him.

"No! I'm just passing through. I'm a long way from home."

"How come those plastic things keep coming after me?" Rose demanded.

"Oh, suddenly the entire world revolves around you!" The Doctor remarked sarcastically. "You were an accident; you got in the way, that's all."

"It tried to kill me!" I suddenly fell behind them, feeling slightly left out of the conversation.

"It was after me, not you! Last night, in the shop, I was there, and you blundered in. Almost ruined the whole thing. This morning, I was tracking it down, it was tracking me down. The only reason it fixed on you was because you met me," The Doctor explained. His tone wasn't apologetic, but I didn't expect it to be.

"So, what you're saying is the entire world revolves around you?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I was teasing him and he knew it.

"Sort of, yeah." The Doctor had a massive grin on his face, telling me that he was teasing also. I rolled my eyes, but with a small smile on my face.

"But, all this plastic stuff, so who else knows about it?" Rose asked.

"No one," the Doctor replied.

"What, you're on your own?" Rose asked him. I cast my gaze down to my feet; I knew what it was like to be alone.

"Well who else is there? I mean, you lot, all you do is eat chips, go to bed, and watch telly. Sometimes, underneath you, there's a war going on." The Doctor's hesitancy to directly answer the question told me everything. I cast him a sad, but understanding look, telling him that I knew what it was like to be lonely. But either he didn't see it, or he ignored it. Rose reached out and grabbed the mannequin arm.

"Hey, start from the beginning," she requested. I fell into step with them on the other side of the Doctor. "How can you kill it?"

"The thing controlling it projects life into the arm, and I cut off the signal. Dead," the Doctor exclaimed.

"It's radio control?" Rose asked.

"Thought control. You alright?"

"Yeah," Rose said distantly. "So who's controlling it then?"

"Long story."

"What's it all for?" I inquired. "I mean, shop window dummies, what's that about?"

"Is someone trying to take over Britain's shops?" Rose joked. The three of us chuckled.

"No," the Doctor denied. "It's not a price war." All of us laughed even more. "They want to overthrow the human race and destroy you." The Doctor had turned serious. "Do you believe me?"

"No," she proclaimed.

"But you're still listening," the Doctor pointed out.

"Really though, Doctor, tell us. Who are you?" Rose asked stopping in her tracks. The Doctor stopped too and looked back at us. He smiled slightly.

"You know like we were saying? About the earth revolving? It's like when you're a kid, the first time they tell you that the world's turning, and you just can't quite believe it, 'cause everything looks like it's standing still," the Doctor started walking back to us. Rose and I remained silent as he approached. "I can feel it." He looked at me and I felt his hand grip mine softly. "The turn of the Earth. The ground beneath our feet is spinning at 1,000 miles an hour. And the entire planet is hurtling around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour. I can feel it, we're falling through space, you and me. Clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go…" The Doctor looked at me again and suddenly let go of my hand, leaving my skin feeling cold. "That's who I am. Now forget me, Evelyn Viviana Davis, Rose Tyler. Go home." The Doctor grabbed the mannequin arm from Rose and started walking towards a parking lot. Rose and I watched him go silently, before turning and walking away. The only thing that made us turn back was a mysterious sound that neither of us could place. Rose darted back towards where we left the Doctor. I sighed and charged after her, but saw nothing. Rose didn't either, judging by the disappointed look on her face.

"Come on, Rose," I said quietly. We silently walked together, both thinking about the mysterious stranger called the Doctor, who had left an impression on both of us. We soon arrived at an unfamiliar building, but when Rose knocked on the door, I saw that this was Mickey's place.

"Coffee?" Mickey asked Rose kissing her. I mentally "awwed." They were too cute.

"Yeah, only if you wash the mug. And I don't mean rinse, I mean wash. Can we use your computer?" Rose asked Mickey gesturing to me.

"Yeah, any excuse to get in the bedroom," Mickey joked. "Don't read my emails!" Rose led me into Mickey's room and shut the door behind her. I walked over the desk and sat down in front of the computer. I opened up the internet, and typed in "Doctor." I sighed when I saw that there were over 17 million hits. I searched "Doctor living plastic," only to find nothing useful.

"Try 'Doctor blue box,'" Rose suggested. I searched that and I saw a link. I immediately clicked on it. There on the page, was a blurry picture of someone who looked a lot like the Doctor. Rose and I exchanged looks before looking back at the screen. There was a link at the bottom, asking that if anyone had seen the man in the picture, to contact Clive, whoever that was. I did it anyway and quickly got an email back. Rose and I became very excited when we set a meet time.

"Mickey, can you drive Viv and me somewhere?" Rose called. I internally smiled at Rose's nickname for me.

"Sure," he replied grabbing his keys. I logged out of my email and followed Rose and Mickey to his car, thinking about the Doctor. Who was he? Why was he so mysterious and unwilling to share information? Why did the website refer to him as Doctor Who? What was going on?

~)8(~

As Mickey parked across from Clive's house, Rose addressed him.

"You're not coming in. He's safe. He's got a wife and kids."

"Yeah? Who told you that?" Mickey demanded. "He did. That's exactly what an internet lunatic murderer would say." Rose and I shot Mickey extremely annoyed looks before climbing out of his yellow VW bug. Mickey watched us as we crossed the street and approached Clive's door. Rose knocked on the door before looking back at Mickey. A few seconds later, the door opened revealing a boy looking around 12.

"Um, hello, we've come to see Clive. We've been emailing," I said to him. Rose turned around and saw the boy.

"Dad!" the boy called into the house. "It's some of your nutters!" He shot us a slightly disgusted look but I merely smiled back at him. Rose looked back at Mickey, ignoring him.

"Oh, hello. You must be Viviana. I'm Clive, obviously," a pudgy man said coming into view. He stuck out his hand to Rose.

"Actually, my name's Rose. This is Viviana," Rose said gesturing to me.

"Oh, terribly sorry!" Clive expressed shaking both of our hands. I smiled at the man.

"It's no problem," I said.

"I better tell you now, my boyfriend's in the car, just in case you're going to kill us!" Rose joked. I laughed and turned to see Mickey looking at us while rolling down the window.

"No, good point. No murders!" Clive said laughing as well. Clive waved to Mickey slightly.

"Who is it?" a female voice called.

"Oh, it's something to do with the Doctor!" Clive called back into the house. "These girls have been reading the website. Please come through, I'm in the shed." Clive ushered us into the house and we followed him out back.

"Girls? They read a website about the Doctor? They're girls?" I heard the voice say. I laughed slightly before we went outside.

"A lot of this stuff's quite sensitive," Clive said once we were in the shed. "I couldn't just send it to you."

"I understand," I reassured.

"People might intercept… If you know what I mean." Rose and I nodded and looked around the shed. "If you dig deep enough and keep a lively mind, this Doctor keeps cropping up all over the place. Political diaries, conspiracy theories, even ghost stories. No first name, no last name. Just 'the Doctor.' Always the Doctor. And the title seems to be passed down from father to son, appears to be an inheritance. That's your doctor there isn't it?" Clive asked pointing to a side table. Rose and I turned to the table and walked to it. I saw the photograph from the website.

"Yeah," Rose answered.

"I tracked it down to the Washington Public Archive just last year," Clive explained. "The online photo's enhanced, but if we look at the original…" Clive trailed off. He pulled out a photograph, it was blurry, but you could definitely make out a man who looked like the Doctor. Rose and I exchanged confused looks, but we were even more curious about the Doctor. Clive the flipped the page and we saw another version of the photo, from a wider angle. You could still make out the Doctor in the midst of a crowd. He flipped to an even wider angle of the photo. I completely forgot about the Doctor for a moment when I saw President Kennedy riding in a car, down the street.

"November 22, 1963. The assassination of President Kennedy," Clive said. My jaw dropped as I looked at the Doctor in the picture. He looked exactly the same, yet this was taken forty two years ago. How was this possible?

"Must be his father," Rose concluded. She was as stunned as me, but this only stunted our curiosity.

"Going further back, April 1912," Clive started while retrieving some more things. Rose and I continued to stare at the photograph of the day Kennedy was killed.

"This is a photo of the Daniels family of Southampton," Clive started showing us another photograph, "and friend. Taken the day before they were due to sail to the new world, on the Titanic. And for some unknown reason, they cancelled the trip, and survived." I stared at the photo of the family. To the far right, was a man who looked an awful lot like the Doctor.

"And here we are, 1883, another Doctor," Clive said taking a piece of paper off the wall. "Look, the same lineage, he's identical. This one washed up on the shore of Sumatra, and the very night, the Krakatoa exploded." I stared at the drawing, with wide eyes. Rose had the same look. The drawn man wasn't just similar to the Doctor, but exactly the same! Right down to the oversized ears. Even the jacket in the drawing looked like the Doctor's leather jacket.

"The Doctor is a legend woven throughout history. When disaster comes, he's there," Clive started slightly dramatically. Rose and I gave him our undivided attention though. "He brings the storm in his wake. And he has one constant companion."

"Who's that?" Rose asked.

"Death," Clive answered grimly. Chills ran down my spine. Was the Doctor really that dangerous? "If the Doctor's back, if you two have seen him, then one thing's for certain. We're all in danger. If he's singled you out, if the Doctor's making house calls, then God help you." he said to us. I furrowed my eyebrows. I had had enough of this. If the man we met was even the same man as the one in the photographs, there was no way he was that dangerous. He had saved Rose's and my lives, twice. But there was still some part of me that wanted to believe all this. My brain was telling me that Clive was off his meds, but my gut was telling me to believe him.

"But who is he? Who do you think he is?" Rose asked Clive.

"I think he's the same man," Clive said dead serious. "I think he's immortal. I think he's an alien from another world." Rose and I exchanged skeptical looks before thanking Clive and making our way back to Mickey's car. I didn't want to believe Clive, but he was so serious about the Doctor and even after his last (ridiculous) claims, my gut was still telling me to believe him.

"Alright, he's a nutter. Off his head," Rose grunted. "Complete online conspiracy freak. You win!" Rose and I climbed into the car. "What are we going to do tonight?" I tuned them out once I put my seatbelt on. My thoughts wandered to everything Clive had told us and shown us. I got lost in my thoughts, and before I knew it, we were pulling up to a restaurant.

"Do you think I should try the hospital, Suki said they have jobs in the canteen. Is that it then, dishing out chips?" Rose said once we were seated. I eyed Mickey. He was acting funny, but Rose didn't seem to notice though so it must've been my mind playing tricks on me. Rose continued her small rant and Mickey remained like a statue. His face had a small, strangely unwavering smile on his face.

"Where did you meet this Doctor?" Mickey suddenly asked.

"I'm sorry, was I talking about me for a second?" Rose asked sarcastically. Why was Mickey asking about the Doctor? He wanted us to stay away from the Doctor earlier, now he was curious about him? Something was wrong.

"Cause I reckon it all started back at the shop, am I right?" Mickey asked. My eyes widened and I scooched away from him slightly. He was really starting to freak me out. "Was he something to do with that?"

"No," Rose denied.

"Come on," Mickey said with a smirk.

"Sort of," Rose replied. My eyes widened at her. Despite not fully believing everything the Doctor had told us, I didn't think that Rose should just be blabbing about him, even if it was to Mickey.

"What was he doing there?" Mickey inquired.

"I'm not going on about it, Mickey. I'm really not. 'Cause I know it sounds daft, but, I don't think he's safe. He's dangerous."

"But you can trust me, sweetheart," Mickey said. "Babe, darling, sugar, babe, sweetheart." My eyes widened at him. His voice just sounded like a malfunctioning robot's. The way he had spewed all those pet names, it was weird. "You can tell me anything. Tell me about the Doctor and what he's planning, and I can help you, Rose." Mickey's voice was intense, almost threatening. He really wanted to learn about the Doctor. His voice turned robotic again and he spewed more pet names. Rose finally seemed to realize that something was wrong with him.

"What are you doing that for?" Rose asked him.

"Your champagne," a voice said. I looked up and my eyes widened.

"We didn't order any champagne," Mickey said not looking away from Rose. I stood up, unnoticed by Rose and Mickey. I put on my leather jacket and went to stand behind Rose. The waiter wasn't really a waiter. The Doctor shot me a wink and a smile. I returned the grin, feeling the adrenaline rush into my body. The Doctor was around, something was bound to happen.

"Where's the Doctor?" Mickey demanded.

"Madam, your champagne," the Doctor said again. Rose didn't even look up.

"It isn't ours," she said waving the Doctor away. "Mickey, what is it, what's wrong?"

"I need to find out how much he knows, so where is he?"

"Doesn't anyone want this champagne?" the Doctor asked again.

"Look, we didn't order…" Mickey trailed off when he saw the Doctor. "Ah, got you."

"Don't mind me," the Doctor said with a grin. I smirked when I saw him start shaking the bottle of champagne. "I'm just toasting the happy couple. On the house!" The Doctor uncorked the bottle and the cork flew towards Mickey. It sank right through his forehead, making my eyes widen. Rose had a mildly confused and grossed out look on her face as Mickey spit the cork out of his mouth.

"Anyway," Mickey started as the Doctor stood there, stunned. Mickey suddenly stood up, and smashed the table. His hand had turned into a club like thing. I heard a woman scream, but I helped Rose scramble away from Mickey, as the Doctor went up and attacked him. After a couple seconds of struggling, I heard a sickening pop and the Doctor flew back, with Mickey's head in his hands. My eyes widened and I felt disgusted.

"Don't think that's going to stop me," Mickey suddenly said. My eyes widened even more. Now, I was officially terrified. I didn't let it show though, and I got an idea. I pulled the fire alarm.

"Everybody out! Everybody out, now!" Rose commanded. People obeyed and rushed out of the restaurant. The Doctor, Rose, and I bolted. We ran out back and Mickey followed us. Mickey started banging on the door as Rose ran towards a locked gate.

"Open the gate! Use that tube thing! Come on!" she said panicked. I was just as panicked, and I looked to the Doctor, hoping he would help. He looked perfectly calm though and started walking towards a blue box. I recognized it as a Police Public Call Box from the 50's and 60's.

"Sonic Screwdriver," the Doctor corrected Rose. I guess that's what his tube was called.

"Use it!" Rose commanded.

"Nah, tell you what, let's go in here," the Doctor said pulling out a key. I stared at him incredulously as he unlocked the box. He stopped and looked back at me. He gave me a wink and a small smile before stepping inside. Why the hell would he go in there? My brain was screaming at me not to follow him, but my gut was quietly urging me forward. I gave in and ran into the box after the Doctor. What I saw made my shut my eyes. It was bigger, way bigger, on the inside. It looked like some sort of alien ship thing. The Doctor walked around the console and started pushing some buttons.

"You can't hide inside some wooden box!" Rose yelled at the Doctor.

"Rose, come on!" I urged. She ignored me and ran back to the gate, pulling on the chain again. Mickey kept banging on the door, making dents in the metal. Rose suddenly appeared in the ship and shut the door behind her, what she saw though, made her run outside again.

"Rose, come on!" I urged again. Soon, she appeared back inside, making me sigh with relief.

"It's going to follow us!" Rose said to the Doctor.

"The assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door. Believe me, they've tried. Now shut up a minute." I ignored his odd statement and went to stand next to him.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"You see, the arm was too simple, but the head is perfect. I can use it to trace the signal back to the original source," the Doctor stated. He started hooking up Mickey's head onto the console, and I immediately felt sick looking at it. The Doctor seemed unfazed though. "Right where do you want to start?"

"Um… the inside's bigger than the outside," Rose said, mystified. I looked around the room. It reminded me of the stories Grandpapa used to tell me.

"Yes."

"It's alien."

"Yep."

"Are you an alien?" I asked from behind him. The Doctor looked from Rose to me.

"Yes," he nodded. I turned away, frustrated. So he was claiming to be an alien now? My mind was screaming at me, telling me how stupid I was for going along with this man, but my instinct still told me that I could trust him, and that he was telling the truth. But an alien, that was a ridiculous claim. I thought about what Aunt Maggie and Grandpapa would say. Aunt Maggie would call him a nutter, but Grandpapa; he would believe him in a second. Grandpapa was always an eccentric man, and the Doctor was too. Grandpapa would've loved the Doctor. I tore myself from my thoughts when I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly though, before either Rose or the Doctor could notice.

"It's called the TARDIS, this thing," the Doctor said looking around the ship. "T-A-R-D-I-S. That's Time And Relative Dimension In Space." Rose suddenly started crying slightly. I rushed forward and wrapped her in a hug. She clung to me tightly.

"It's alright, culture shock," The Doctor said behind us. "Happens to the best of us."

"Did they kill him? Mickey?" Rose asked calming herself down and pulling away from our hug. "Did they kill Mickey, is he dead?" The Doctor had a shocked look on his face, like he hadn't thought about that.

"Oh, I didn't think of that," he admitted sheepishly. I shot him a glare and he looked more shocked at the fire in my eyes. I may have come across as quiet and shy. I was quiet, but I wasn't shy, and I could give some pretty nasty looks when I wanted to. I wasn't the Mary-Sue that most people thought I was.

"He's my boyfriend. You pulled off his head," Rose said incredulously. "They copied him, and you didn't even think." Rose looked close to tears again.

"Oh, and I believe he's melting," I said staring at the console. The Doctor whirled around and saw the melting head. The smell of burning plastic filled my nostrils and I cringed.

"Aw, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor started running to the other side of the console.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked.

"Following the signal! It's fading!" The Doctor pressed a few buttons and looked at a screen while Rose and I stood behind him, slightly baffled as to what he was doing. "Wait a minute, I've got it." The Doctor soon became frustrated again. His plan wasn't going swimmingly. I soon focused on the TARDIS. It had started rumbling. That funny noise that Rose and I had heard before going to Mickey's was there again. Rose and I clasped hands, frightened as to what was going to happen. The Doctor suddenly ran past us and towards the door.

"You can't go out there!" Rose called.

"It's not safe!" I said after. The Doctor ignored us, however, and ran right outside. I rolled my eyes before following, and Rose did too. Once I got outside, I looked around in confusion; we were in an entirely different spot than we were before. Again, I couldn't help but think of Grandpapa's story. Everything about this situation resembled the story so impossibly closely. But… it was probably just a coincidence. Grandpapa's stories were just that. Stories.

"I lost the signal, I got so close!" the Doctor grumbled.

"We moved, does it fly?" Rose asked.

"It disappears there and reappears there. You wouldn't understand." The Doctor's aggravation was very evident. I stepped forward and hesitantly grabbed his hand. He jumped slightly, but his hand tightened on mine and he shot me a small smile. I returned it before turning back to Rose, not letting go of his hand.

"But if we're somewhere else, what about that headless thing that's still on the loose?" Rose asked.

"Melted with the head, are you going to witter on all night?" The Doctor grumbled at her. I rolled my eyes at him slightly. He really could be a Mr. Brooding.

"I have to tell his mother," Rose said sadly. I stepped away from the Doctor, letting go of his hand and grabbed Rose's instead. She looked at me gratefully. The Doctor looked back at us. "Mickey… I'll have to tell his mother he's dead," she repeated, "and you just went and forgot him, again!" Rose was getting angry, and I didn't blame her. Forgetting about Mickey was terribly inconsiderate of the Doctor. "You were right, you are alien." The Doctor gave Rose a mildly offended look.

"Look, if I did forget some kid called Mickey-"

"He's not a kid!" Rose yelled cutting the Doctor off.

"It's because I'm trying to save the life of every stupid ape blundering about on this planet, all right?" I also noticed that the Doctor had a tendency to start ripping on humans when he was grumpy or angry.

"All right?"

"Yes it is!"

"Shut up!" I yelled. "You two are fighting like little kids. Rose, I'm terribly sorry about Mickey, but if England and the entire planet really are in danger, I would like to try and help. If even England was destroyed, I would have nowhere to go. This has been my home for years, and though I wouldn't mind going back to America, I have no one to turn to! I have no family! Everyone is dead! I really am sorry about Mickey, but please, we can mourn him later, when the world isn't in danger." Rose gave me an apologetic look and the Doctor looked stunned at my outburst, but questions were lingering in his eyes. I turned my gaze from him to the ground. I crossed my arms in frustration stared at my shoes.

"If you are an alien, why do you sound like you're from the North?" I looked at Rose. Of all the questions to ask.

"Lots of planets have a North," the Doctor said. I was about to protest, but I realized that it was probably true.

"What is a Police Public Call Box?" Rose inquired.

"They were telephone booths from the 50's," I said returning my gaze to my shoes. I missed the impressed looks the Doctor and Rose were giving me.

"It's a disguise," the Doctor told Rose while staring at the TARDIS affectionately.

"Okay… and this living plastic, what's it got against us?" Rose asked chuckling.

"Nothing, it loves you. You've got such a good planet, lots of smoke and oil. Plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air. Perfect," the Doctor explained. "Just what the Nestene Consciousness needs. Its food stock was destroyed in the war. Its protein planets rotted. So, Earth. Dinner."

"How do we stop it?" I asked. Again, the Doctor turned his attention from Rose, to me. He always seemed to have to do that. Then again, Rose talked way more than me.

"Antiplastic," the Doctor said pulling a tube of blue liquid out of his jacket.

"Antiplastic?" Rose asked.

"Antiplastic. But first, I've got to find it. How can you hide something that big in a city this small?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Hide what?" I asked

"The transmitter. The Consciousness is controlling every single piece of plastic, so it needs a

Transmitter to boost the signal."

"What does it look like?" Rose asked.

"Like a transmitter!" Thanks Doctor, that really cleared things up.

"What does it look like?" I asked slightly annoyed with the Doctor.

"Round and massive, somewhere slap-bang in the middle of London. A huge, metal, circular structure, like a dish, like a wheel, a radial, close to where we're standing." The three of us started walking away from the TARDIS, and I soon smirked at the Doctor's frustration. Rose saw it too and smirked with me. Right behind the Doctor, was the London Eye. "It must be completely invisible," the Doctor concluded. Rose and I just stared behind him. He looked behind him several times before he finally realized what we were staring at.

"Fantastic!" the Doctor said with a grin. The Doctor then sprinted off, me and Rose hot on his heels. The Doctor was sprinting, but I had no trouble keeping up, Rose lagged behind a little bit, but not much. While passing Big Ben, I felt the Doctor take my hand and I couldn't help but smile. He did that a lot. We turned and ran down some stairs before stopping.

"Think of it, plastic all over the world, every artificial thing waiting to be alive," the Doctor said. I suddenly got the image of little toy soldiers chasing me. Then I giggled, causing the Doctor and Rose to give me weird looks. I felt my cheeks heat up, but I didn't explain.

"The shop window dummies, the phones, the wires, the cables," the Doctor continued.

"The breast implants," Rose added.

"Still, we've found the transmitter. The Consciousness must be somewhere underneath," the Doctor muttered. I started looking around for a way to get under the Eye, but Rose beat me to it.

"What about down here?" The Doctor and I ran over to her.

"Looks good to me," the Doctor replied seeing the stairs and hatch. We quickly made our way down there and the Doctor opened the hatch. He made his way down the ladder and I followed behind him, eager for adventure. Aunt Maggie was always very protective of me when I was little, and Grandpapa was protective of me also. They didn't want anything to happen to me so I didn't get to do a lot of the things people my age did. The Adrenaline rush was addicting and I loved it. I saw a red glow once I had descended the ladder. The Doctor and I waited for Rose and when she joined us, we dashed off. We soon found a large room, and the Doctor spoke.

"The Nestene Consciousness." I followed his gaze and cringed when I saw what he was looking at. It literally looked like a giant, lava blob. "That's it, inside the vat. A living plastic creature."

"Well then, tip in your Antiplastic and let's go," Rose suggested nervously.

"I'm not here to kill it. I've got to give it a chance." The Doctor started descending the stairs and I immediately followed. Rose was close behind us.

"I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract according to Convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation," the Doctor called into the vat. I heard a gurgling noise before the Doctor replied.

"Thank you. If I might have permission to approach."

"Oh, my God," I heard Rose suddenly say. I looked in time to see her running towards someone, that someone was Mickey. My eyes widened, but a smile slowly grew on my face. I followed Rose and leaned down by Mickey.

"That thing down there. The liquid, Rose. It can talk!" I felt bad for Mickey. He was obviously terrified, and honestly, I wasn't completely free of fear myself.

"Doctor, they kept him alive," I said to him. He was behind us now and I stood to approach him.

"Yeah, that was always a possibility. Keep him alive to maintain the copy," he said calmly. My jaw dropped slightly out of surprise and annoyance.

"You knew that and never said?" Rose asked incredulously.

"Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?" the Doctor almost demanded. I rolled my eyes at him and stepped away from him out of annoyance. Rose began helping Mickey up. I heard the Nestene start gurgling again and I followed the Doctor. Rose and Mickey stayed above us.

"Am I addressing the Consciousness?" the Doctor asked. More gurgling sounds were made.

"Thank you. If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilization by means of warped, shunt technology." I literally had no idea what the Doctor said, but I knew that it couldn't be good. He was the Doctor after all; nothing seemed to go smoothly with him around. "So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?" I mentally face-palmed. This wasn't getting us anywhere. Angry growling and gurgling noises emitted from the Consciousness.

"Oh, don't give me that! It's an invasion, plain and simple. Don't talk about constitutional rights!" The Doctor retorted. The Consciousness started moving around and rising from the vat. I took a small step back, and the Doctor noticed. He softly gripped my hand and I gave him a grateful look.

"This planet is just starting. These stupid, little people have only just learned how to walk," the Doctor started.

"I'll try not to be offended," I mumbled. The Doctor shot me a grin.

"But they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you, on their behalf. Please, just go."

"Doctor! Viviana!" Rose suddenly called. My hand was ripped from the Doctor's and as two mannequins took a hold of me. Two more restrained the Doctor. One of the mannequins pulled the Antiplastic from the Doctor's pocket and showed it to the Consciousness.

"That was just insurance! I wasn't going to use it!" I ignored the Doctor's attempts to talk our way out of the situation. Sometimes, talking wasn't enough. The Consciousness was furious, growling and gurgling loudly. "I was not attacking you! I'm here to help! I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not." A furious growl emitted from the Consciousness. I stopped struggling against the mannequins, but they didn't lessen their hold. I had a plan forming in my mind.

"What do you mean?" the Doctor asked. I heard a door open behind me and I turned to see the TARDIS. My eyes widened and I looked at the Doctor, but he was looking at the Consciousness.

"No, no, no! Honestly, no!" He said struggling against the mannequins. "Yes, that's my ship." The Consciousness emitted a gurgle.

"That's not true! I should know, I was there! I fought in the war, it wasn't my fault! I couldn't save your world, I couldn't save any of them," the Doctor said. He sounded so devastated, close to tears even. It made my heart break.

"What is it?" Rose called down to us.

"It's the TARDIS," the Doctor said. The Nestene's identified it as superior technology. It's terrified. It's going to the final base. It's starting the invasion. Get out, Rose. Just leg it, now! Let Viviana go, she's not a part of this!" the Doctor yelled.

"I won't leave you!" I protested. The Doctor gave me a slightly exasperated look.

"Let her go!" he yelled to the Consciousness. I heard a gurgle, but instead of letting me go, the mannequins tightened their grip on me. A bolt of lightning shot out of the vat, making my eyes widen.

"It's the activation signal. It's transmitting," the Doctor explained. "It's the end of the world." No, I wasn't going to let this happen. I suddenly elbowed one of the mannequins, making it loosen its grip on me slightly. I twisted my body until I felt myself come loose. I had pulled off one arm from each mannequin, but they were still gripping my biceps. I ripped them off my arms and threw them into the vat. I was able to quickly knock the head off of one mannequin, but the other came at me, knocking me over. I hit the ground with a grunt, but that didn't stop me. I kicked the legs of the mannequin, making it fall over and into the vat. The last mannequin was recovering, despite not having an arm or head. I quickly sent that one into the pit also. I stood up and brushed off my pants, like nothing had happened. I caught the Doctor's stunned look and smirked.

"Aunt Maggie had me take hand-to-hand combat lessons. Grandpapa had me take self-defense and private fencing lessons," I explained. He looked impressed, but didn't have time to reply, as I was suddenly restrained again, this time, by the mannequin who also held the Antiplastic. Another plan was already forming in my head, but I needed to time it perfectly.

"Get out, Rose! Just get out! Run!" the Doctor commanded.

"I haven't got the key!" I heard Rose say when she tried to get into the TARDIS. Mickey started panicking even more than he already was. The Doctor and I were struggling relentlessly against the mannequins, but they were strong, and this one held me more tightly than the other two did. I stopped struggling though when I heard two words in English, words that I never thought I'd hear again.

"Time Lord," the Nestene growled. My eyes widened as I looked at the Doctor, and he looked panicked. Then, he and I looked at Rose. She held our gaze and Mickey clung to her like she was his lifeline. I soon resumed my struggling though, but I still wasn't getting anywhere.

"Leave them!" Mickey called out while clutching Rose's leg. I glared at him, but he didn't seem to notice. He was too terrified to notice. The Doctor and I looked at Rose. She stared at the Doctor before turning her gaze to me. Her hazel-brown eyes met my green ones, with a scared, but determined look. What was she up to? Rose then rushed off to the side, stopping in front of a wall. I couldn't tell what she was doing and I returned to struggling.

"I've got no A-levels. No job. No future. But I'll tell you what I have got," she muttered while hacking at a chain with an ax. "Jericho Street Junior School under-sevens gymnastics team. I got the bronze." Rose took a hold of the loose chain and jumped off the platform. My body moved before I could process what was happening. Rose hit the mannequin holding the Doctor first, sending it into the vat. Then she swung back and hit the mannequin holding me right as I ripped myself from its grip and flung myself to the ground. I heard the Consciousness squeal and I caught sight of the Antiplastic seeping into it. Rose swung back towards us and the Doctor caught her around the waist. I heaved myself off the ground and rushed to them.

"Now we're in trouble," the Doctor said with an infectious grin. We rushed towards the TARDIS. I heard the signal cut off as we ran. Explosions started occurring, but I didn't panic. Mickey was clutching the sides of the TARDIS as the Doctor unlocked it. The Consciousness was still squealing in pain as we entered the ship and shut the door behind us. The Doctor powered up the TARDIS and I heard the wheezing start. A few seconds later, Mickey was running out of the TARDIS, scared out of his wits. Rose walked out calmly, while fiddling with her cell phone. I walked out after her and watched as she smiled, relieved that Jackie was okay.

"Fat lot of good you were," Rose scolded Mickey. She ran towards her whimpering boyfriend and I rolled my eyes. I couldn't decide whether I liked him or not.

"Nestene Consciousness? Easy," the Doctor said arrogantly while stepping out of the TARDIS.

"You were useless in there! If it wasn't for me and Viviana, you'd be dead!" Rose pointed out.

"Yes I would," the Doctor agreed. "Thank you both." I noticed that the Doctor was only looking at Rose when he said this.

"Right then! I'll be off. Unless… I don't know. You could come with me," he suggested still looking at Rose. My eyes widened and I looked back at her. I noticed the glint in her eyes, she was really tempted to accept. It made me sad. Finally, I got a friend, and now she was going to leave with the Doctor.

"This isn't just a London-op, you know, it goes anywhere in the universe. Free of charge," the Doctor joked at the end. I couldn't help but smile.

"Don't! He's an alien! He's a thing!" Mickey protested from behind Rose. I rolled my eyes at him. If he kept doing that, Rose was going to decline the Doctor's offer. That would be the worst mistake she ever made.

"He's _not_ invited," the Doctor pointed out. I stifled a laugh, and the Doctor gave me a soft smile. "What do you think?" Rose opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

"You could stay here. Fill your life with work and food and sleep, or you could go… Anywhere," the Doctor described. I was officially jealous.

"Go on, Rose. How many times in your life are you going to get this kind of offer?" I asked with a smile. She was still hesitant to answer.

"Is it always this dangerous?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah," the Doctor answered with a small smile. Mickey reached out and clung to her leg again.

"Yeah, I can't. I've gotta go and find my mum, and someone's gotta look after this stupid lump," Rose said patting Mickey on the back. I looked at her sadly. I could tell how much she wanted to go with the Doctor.

"Okay." the Doctor merely said. He turned to me suddenly.

"What about you?" My eyes widened.

"You want me to come with you?" I asked. The Doctor shrugged.

"Why not? Like I said, you could live a normal, boring life here on Earth, or you would have the adventure of a lifetime." I found myself as speechless as Rose. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

"Go, Viv," Rose said. I turned to her.

"But I-"

"You were right when you said that there is nothing here for you. You've got no family, no job, and this isn't even your home country. You long for this, you crave adventure. I can see it in your eyes," Rose said softly. I tried to argue, but found that I couldn't. I turned back to the Doctor and smiled widely. I started walking towards the TARDIS, but then I ran back to Rose. She and I hugged tightly before pulling away. I took my keys from my pocket and gave them to her.

"Take care of my stuff?" I asked her. She nodded quickly and I smiled at her. I gave her one more hug before jogging to the Doctor. He grinned at me before leading me into the TARDIS. I watched as he flew the TARDIS away. Then he paused, and flew the TARDIS somewhere else. I gave him a confused look as he opened the door and looked out.

"By the way, did I mention it also travels in time?" the Doctor asked. I popped my head out the door and saw Rose. I smiled at her encouragingly and hopefully. I saw a smile grow on her face and mine widened. The Doctor retreated into the TARDIS, but I waited for Rose, knowing what she would do. My thoughts were confirmed as Rose gave Mickey a kiss on the cheek before sprinting into the TARDIS. She and I smiled at each other before shutting the door behind us, not once looking back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Episode 2: "The End of the World"**

* * *

**Chapter 2: New Discoveries**

"Right then, Rose Tyler and Evelyn Viviana Davis, tell me, where you do want to go?" I heard the Doctor ask. Rose and I turned to him. "Backwards or forwards in time? It's your choice. What's it going to be?" I looked at Rose and shrugged.

"Forwards," she answered. The Doctor turned to the console and hit a few buttons. I heard the TARDIS start powering up.

"How far?" he asked Rose. She thought about it.

"One hundred years." The TARDIS started rumbling and I heard the familiar wheezing it made every time we went somewhere in it. The Doctor was smirking at us and suddenly turned a switch.

"There you go! Step outside those doors, it's the 22nd century," the Doctor said smugly. I turned to the doors, but hesitated on going outside. Rose did too.

"You're kidding," Rose muttered.

"That's a bit boring, though. Do you want to go farther?" the Doctor asked.

"Fine by me," Rose replied. The Doctor started up the TARDIS again.

"Ten thousand years in the future," the Doctor said looking at Rose and I. "Step outside. It's the years 12,005, the New Roman Empire." I laughed.

"He thinks he's so impressive," I teased with a smirk.

"I am so impressive!" The Doctor argued. I looked at Rose.

"I think he's holding out on us? What do you think?"

"I absolutely agree," Rose said with a smirk. The Doctor had his eyes locked on us.

"Right. You asked for it," he said pointing at us. "I know exactly where to go." Rose and I smiled at him as he set to work. The TARDIS rumbled harder than ever, causing me to hold onto the console. I was getting nervous, and Rose was too, but the Doctor was positively beaming. Suddenly the TARDIS stopped and I locked eyes with Rose. At the same time, we looked at the Doctor. He merely gestured to the door with a small smile on his face. I looked at the door.

"What's out there?" Rose asked. The Doctor still didn't answer. Rose and I looked at each other before bolting towards the door. Rose threw it open and we stepped into a strange room. I heard a soft humming, probably from some kind of machine. I heard the creak of the TARDIS door, but I didn't turn around, knowing that it was the Doctor. I walked down some stairs, and Rose and the Doctor soon followed. I watched as a screen rolled down, revealing a view of the Earth. Rose and I stared out the window at our planet. The Doctor came and stood in between us.

"You lot… You spend all your time thinking about dying. How you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible. That maybe you survived," the Doctor said. I continued staring out the window, so did Rose.

"This is the year 5.5/Apple/26. Five billion years in your future. And this is the day… hold on…" Suddenly, a great burst of light filled my eyes, causing me to flinch slightly. It was the sun, expanding. My jaw dropped as I realized what today was.

"This is the day the sun expands," the Doctor said confirming my thoughts. I kept my eyes glued on the sight before me.

"Welcome to the end of the world," I muttered. Rose looked at the Doctor for confirmation, and he nodded. Rose and I locked eyes then turned our gazes back at the planet that was going to die. Maybe provoking the Doctor wasn't the best idea; I could tell that neither of us were very keen on watching our world die. The Doctor soon led us away to the sound of an automated voice.

"So when it says 'guests,'" Rose asked referring to something the automated voice had said, "does that mean people?"

"Depends what you mean by people," the Doctor answered.

"I mean people. What do you mean?"

"Aliens."

"What are they doing on board this spaceship?" Rose asked while the Doctor pulled out the Sonic Screwdriver. "What's it all for?"

"It's not really a spaceship, more like an observation deck," the Doctor told her. "The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn." I internally winced as he said that. Watching a planet die for fun? No thank you! I had seen too many people die before. I hadn't told Rose this, but I had been in the car with my aunt during the accident. I had come out of it with nothing more than a few scratches, but I watched as my aunt died. She had thrust her necklace and my mom's ring into my hands before muttering two words. "Find him." I had no idea who "him" was. I had been there by Grandpapa's bedside when he died too. He had refused to go to the hospital so our private Doctor took care of him. Right before dying, he had taken my hand and said, "Remember the Time Lord. Your time with him is coming, remember the Oncoming Storm."

The Time Lords were a race of people Grandpapa had always told me about. Every night, he told me stories about them, the Daleks, and the Time War. He said that after the war, only one Time Lord survived, the Oncoming Storm. I believed them when I was little, but I quickly grew out of that. Despite this, Grandpapa continued to tell me stories about the Time Lords. I enjoyed them, and I suggested that he write a book, but he had merely shaken his head and smiled. "This story is meant for you," he had said.

Then, just an hour ago, the Nestene Consciousness had called the Doctor a Time Lord, but that was impossible. Time Lords weren't real. They were just something Grandpapa had made up… right? I thought about this as Rose, the Doctor, and I stepped into an elevator.

"Mind you, when I say 'the great and the good,' I mean the rich," the Doctor told us. Rose looked at me.

"Are you okay?" she mouthed. I nodded, despite it not being true.

"But… hold on. They did this once on Newsround Extra, the sun expanding, that takes hundreds of years," Rose said.

"Millions," the Doctor and I corrected at the same time.

"But the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved," he continued. He then pointed to something out a window. "See down there? Gravity satellites holding back the sun."

"The planet looks the same as ever. I thought the continents shifted and things," Rose observed. I had to agree, it really did look the same as it had five billion years ago.

"They did, and the Trust shifted them back. That's a classic Earth," the Doctor explained. "But now, the money's run out, nature takes over."

"How long's it got?" Rose asked.

"Minutes. Half an hour maybe," I answered. The Doctor turned to me.

"How could you know that?" he asked suspiciously.

"I finished school at 16, and are you forgetting who my Grandfather was?" I asked. Grandpapa had taught me Astronomy, he had an obsession with the sun and there was always something to do with the sun in his books The Doctor's confused look turned to one of understanding and he turned back to Rose.

"She's right. Half an hour and the planet gets roasted," he said, almost excitedly. I rolled my eyes at him slightly.

"Is that why we're here? I mean, is that what you do?" Rose asked him. "Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth?"

"I'm not saving it. Time's up," the Doctor said looking Rose dead in the eye.

"But what about the people?" Rose asked.

"They're probably all gone. Obviously, people have known that the end of the world was going to happen for a while now, so people probably left, moved to other planets," I said. The Doctor looked impressed and Rose gave me a confused look. I merely shrugged.

"She's right… again," the Doctor mumbled.

"Just us then," Rose said looking at the Earth.

"Who the hell are you?" I heard an angry voice say. I turned around and saw a blue skinned man coming towards us. My eyes widened, but I quickly recovered from my shock. I needed to act like I was meant to be here; otherwise we would probably get in trouble.

"Oh, that's nice, thanks!" the Doctor said turning around also.

"But how did you get in?" the blue skinned man asked. "This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked! They're on their way any second…"

"No! That's me, I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation." The Doctor then pulled out a slip of paper in a badge case. "Look, there you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor, plus two. I'm the Doctor. This is Rose Tyler and Evelyn Viviana Davis. They're my 'plus twos.' Is that alright?" The blue skinned man looked positively stunned at the sight of us.

"Well, obviously," he said after a few seconds. The Doctor grinned. "Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy." The blue man looked stiff, like he didn't quite believe us or he wasn't happy to see us. Once the man had walked away, I turned to the Doctor.

"Psychic paper?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. The Doctor looked at me, stunned.

"How did you…?" he asked. I shrugged.

"Grandpapa told me about it. I didn't believe him until now. But hey, aliens are real. Why

not psychic paper?" I said. It was true. Grandpapa had told me about psychic paper. He said some Time Lords used it all the time.

"I'm sorry, what's psychic paper?" Rose asked.

"It shows them whatever I want them to see," the Doctor answered. He caught my eye though, and they held a message. _We_ will_ talk about this later_.

"He's blue," Rose suddenly said. I couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah," the Doctor said nonchalantly.

"Okay," Rose replied. I gave her an excited smile and she returned it.

"We have in attendance, the Doctor, Rose Tyler, and Evelyn Viviana Davis!" a voice suddenly called. I turned to see the blue man at a podium. The Doctor gave him a wave and a smile. I internally smiled at him, he really was quite the character. Grandpapa would've loved him. Aunt Maggie too, if she got past the "alien" part.

"Thank you! All staff to their positions." The blue man clapped his hands and a mob of little people walked around us, to their positions. I couldn't help the smile that came to my face. Something exciting was happening, and it looked like we were about the meet the other guests.

"Hurry now! Thank you! Quick as we can, come along, come along!" the blue man commanded.

"And now, might I introduce, the next honoured guest! Representing the Forest of Cheem, we have trees! Namely Jabe, Lute, and Coffa." Rose and I exchanged confused looks. We were going to meet trees? In walked Jabe, Lute, and Coffa. I couldn't tell who was who, but it was obvious that the woman in the middle was important. The other two were flanking her like guards. They looked mostly normal, but they were obviously made of wood.

"There will be an exchange of gifts, representing peace," I heard announced. "Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon." In rolled a pudgy, blue guy with a tall head and a grumpy expression.

"And next, from the Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme." Then I saw several cloaked figures approaching. I couldn't make out any features, their faces and bodies were completely covered. I soon heard a chuckle and I whipped my head to the right. The Doctor was staring down at me, with a cheesy smile. I softly elbowed him in the side and he elbowed back. I couldn't help but laugh and the Doctor did too. Rose merely stared at the strange beings in front of us. The blue man continued to list guests.

"The inventors of hyposlip travel systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you! Cal Sparkplug. Mr. and Mrs. Pakoo. The ambassadors from the City State of Binding Light." I was ripped away from watching the aliens when the trees came up to us.

"The gift of peace. I bring you, a cutting of my grandfather," the female tree, Jabe, said. The Doctor accepted the plant with a smile, but soon handed it to Rose.

"Thank you. Yes gifts uh…" The Doctor started patting his jacket, unsure of what to give her. "I give you in return, air from my lungs." He breathed on her, while Rose and I rolled our eyes in unison at him.

"How intimate," Jabe said. It was very obvious that she was attracted to the Doctor. I didn't blame her. He was attractive, in a slightly dorky way. His oversized ears and nose were adorable. I could tell Rose thought so too.

"There's more where that came from," the Doctor assured Jabe. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at him again.

"I bet there is," Jabe replied, not taking her eyes off him.

"The sponsor of the main event, please welcome, the Face of Boe." I turned back to the door and saw a giant water tank moving in. Inside it was a giant head. My eyes widened when I saw him, but I made myself recover quickly. We were supposed to act like we were invited here.

"The Moxx of Balhoon," the Doctor said suddenly. I tore my gaze from the Face of Boe and saw the pudgy blue guy in front of us.

"My felicitations upon this historical happenstance. I bring you the gift of bodily salivas," his squeaky voice said. He then spit right in my face. I recoiled slightly, but out of respect, I smiled at him and didn't wipe it away. Rose had a disgusted look on her face and the Doctor looked fascinated.

"Thank you very much." The Doctor was holding in a laugh, and I glared at him. The Doctor breathed on the Moxx of Balhoon before he moved on.

"Ah, the Adherents of the Repeated Meme," the Doctor announced. "I bring you air from my lungs." The Doctor breathed all over them.

"A gift of peace. In all good faith," the middle figure said. He raised a silver sphere in his metal, clawed hand. The Doctor reached out and handed the sphere to Rose.

"And last, but not least, our very special guest," the blue steward began to announce. "In memory of this dying world, we call forth… the last human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen." My jaw dropped when I saw the last human. She looked like a trampoline with eyes and lipstick. She was all skin, stretched out in between a metal frame.

"Oh now, don't stare. I know, I know. It's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference!" Cassandra announced. Rose was staring at Cassandra, stunned. I was now staring blankly and the Doctor let out a silent laugh. "Look at how thin I am! Thin and dainty." She was thin, alright. I could see the blood rushing through her veins. "I don't look a day over 2,000." My eyes widened. She was 2,000 years old?

"Moisturize me, moisturize me!" Cassandra ordered her servants. They obliged quickly. "Truly, I am the last human," Cassandra continued. Rose walked forward, to get a better look at Cassandra, but I stayed back with the Doctor. "My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic desert. They were born on the Earth and they were the last to be buried in its soil." Cassandra sniffed dramatically. "I have come to honour them and say goodbye." One of her servants began drying Cassandra's tears.

"But behold! I bring gifts! From Earth itself, the last remaining, Ostrich egg," Cassandra announced while a little servant brought forth the egg. I looked at it in curiosity, the last Ostrich egg? That was cool. "Legend says it had a wingspan of 50 feet! And blew fire from its nostrils!" I ducked my head down to stifle and hide my laughter. I don't know what animal that was, but Ostriches didn't breathe fire or have a wingspan that big.

"Or was that my third husband?" Cassandra joked. No one laughed, but Cassandra muttered something about getting laughter lines. "And here, another rarity," Cassandra started while a couple servants started rolling in a jukebox. "According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!" Rose and I exchanged amused looks as Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" started playing. I then turned to the Doctor and saw him dancing slightly. I stifled a laugh, but he didn't seem to care. He had a big smile on his face and he continued his "dancing." Rose suddenly turned and quickly walked away. I knew she was feeling overwhelmed, and frankly, I was feeling that way too. I just didn't let it show. I had practice at masking my emotions, I had done it all my life. The Doctor and I began following her but Jabe stopped us.

"Doctor." He stopped and a device in her hands flashed, like a camera. "Thank you." The Doctor didn't reply as he walked away. I gave her a small, polite smile and followed him. We couldn't find her. I sighed in frustration.

"What else do you know?" the Doctor suddenly asked me. I stopped in my tracks and met his stern gaze.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"What else did Nathaniel tell you?" he asked. I paused. I was thinking about answering his question with a question. I knew I would probably be signing my one-way ticket home, but I decided to go for it.

"Are you a Time Lord?" The Doctor froze. His eyes widened and he looked positively stunned. He obviously wasn't expecting that, and his actions told me everything I needed to know.

"Grandpapa told me stories of the Time Lords, and how they would travel all over in their ships. He told me about the Time War, the Daleks. Then, he told me about the Time Lord who survived, the last Time Lord. The Oncoming Storm. You're him, aren't you?" I asked the Doctor quietly. I couldn't meet his gaze anymore. I was scared of his response.

"Where did you get that necklace?" I looked up at the Doctor. Well, I wasn't expecting that.

"It was my aunt's."

"Was her name Margaret Davis. Was your mother Claire Davis?" My eyes widened and I took a step away from him.

"How could you possibly know that?" I asked. My voice was quiet and higher than normal. The Doctor turned away from me with an expression I couldn't read. He almost looked disbelieving, like I shouldn't be standing there in front of him.

"You're part of _that_ Davis family. Nathaniel… he never told me… I never knew he was one of _them_," he muttered. I scowled.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do you know where your aunt got that necklace?" he asked still not facing me.

"She always had it. I never saw her without it. She always liked stargazing," I explained.

"Your ring, was it your mother's?"

"Yes," I breathed out. The Doctor's head dipped down.

"May I see your birthmark?" he suddenly asked turning to me. I blinked. How on Earth did he know about that? I didn't ask though and turned around. I pushed my hair aside, exposing the back of my neck. I felt the Doctor's soft fingers run over my skin, over my birthmark. I had always liked it. It looked like a crescent moon with a four-pointed star.

"This is impossible," he whispered.

"What do you mean?" I asked turning around to face him.

"I need to test this," the Doctor mumbled. "Listen, I'll explain everything after I confirm what I'm thinking. When we get back to the TARDIS, I need a blood sample. I need to be absolutely sure."

"What for?" I asked hesitantly.

"Do you trust me?" the Doctor asked stepping forward and grasping my hands. I found myself drawn in by his intense gaze. I sucked in a breath when I realized how close our faces were. I nodded, and he grinned.

"Good. I'll explain everything, I promise, Viviana," the Doctor said squeezing my hands. He then released them and stepped away. I let out the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding in. I shook my head slightly, needing to clear my thoughts. The Doctor and I starting walking, resuming our search for Rose. I couldn't keep my thoughts away from the Doctor though. The way his soft hands held mine, the way his blue eyes captured mine, the way my heart rate increased at how close we were. God, what was that about?

~)8(~

After being told to move the TARDIS, the Doctor and I quickly found Rose. She was in an observation room, looking at the Earth.

"What's got you all flushed?" she asked me. I quickly turned away, realizing that my face was red.

"Nothing, just feeling a little overwhelmed," I muttered. Rose gave me an understanding look and grabbed my hand. I smiled at her gratefully and turned to watch the expanding sun.

"What d'you think then?" the Doctor asked us. Neither of us could meet his gaze.

"Great, yeah. Fine," Rose replied dully. "Once you get past the slightly psychic paper." The Doctor chuckled and turned his gaze to the sun and Earth. I gave Rose's hand a squeeze and she returned it. "They're just so alien!" Rose suddenly cried letting go of my hand. I winced slightly but Rose didn't notice. Then I froze. Why did that statement affect me so much? I was human!

"The aliens are so alien," Rose elaborated. "You look at 'em and they're alien."

"Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South," the Doctor joked. I could tell he was offended by Rose's statements, Honestly, I was also. I didn't know why, but I was.

"Where are you from?" Rose inquired leaning back. I kept my mouth shut, knowing why the Doctor was hesitant to tell her who he was and what he was. The only reason I knew was because of Grandpapa, but how had he known about the Time Lord's in the first place?

"All over the place," the Doctor answered looking at his lap.

"They all speak English," Rose said about the aliens.

"No, you just hear English," the Doctor corrected. I could tell he was thankful for the subject change. "It's the gift of the TARDIS. It's the telepathic field, gets inside your brain, translates."

"It's inside my brain?" Rose asked, not really believing him.

"Well, in a good way."

"Your machine gets inside my head?" I inched away from Rose. I could tell she was getting angry. The Doctor could tell too. "It gets inside and it changes my mind and you didn't ask?"

"I didn't think about it like that," the Doctor admitted.

"No, you were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South!" Rose said angrily. I inched away from her even more, not wanting to get involved. The Doctor's face had fallen. "Who are you then, Doctor? What're you called? What sort of alien are you?"

"I'm just a doctor."

"From what planet?" Rose pressed.

"Well, it's not as if you'd know where it is."

"Where are you from?"

"What does it matter?"

"Tell me who you are!" Rose demanded.

"This is who I am. Right here, right now. All right? All that counts is here and now, and this is me!"

"Yeah, and I'm here too 'cause you brought me here! So just tell me!"

"Why does it matter so much? You don't see Viviana asking me this!" The Doctor pointed out. Rose seemed to remember that I was there with them. I gave a pointed look at the Doctor.

"Don't you dare bring me into this," I told him.

"Why aren't you asking? I know you're curious, Viv! Don't you care that our brains are being scrambled by some box?" Rose asked me.

"No I don't. I'm thankful for a translator. I want to go meet aliens and in order to talk to them, I have to know their language, and the TARDIS has done me a favor. I don't mind at all, Rose. And I'm not asking the Doctor who he is because we all have our secrets and I respect that," I said calmly. I caught the Doctor's eye. I nodded at the thankful look he was sending me. It's not that I didn't know who the Doctor was, I did, but I respected the Doctor enough to keep my mouth shut. Rose turned away from me, unsure how to reply.

"Earth death in 20 minutes. Earth death in 20 minutes," and automated voice said. I closed my eyes, wishing it hadn't said that. The Doctor had now moved down the stairs and was standing right in front of the glass. Rose moved down to stand next to him, but I stayed where I was.

"All right," Rose started. "As my mate Shareen says, 'Don't argue with the designated driver.'" I couldn't help but smile. The Doctor however, still refused to look at her. "Can't exactly call for a taxi." Rose pulled out her cell phone. This got the Doctor to smile, but he quickly hid it. "There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit." I smiled fondly at the blonde, and the Doctor turned to her.

"Tell you what, with a little bit of jiggery-pokery…" The Doctor said snatching Rose's phone.

"Jiggery-pokery?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow. He merely smiled at me. I watched as the Doctor stuck something in Rose's phone before replacing the back cover.

"There you go," he said handing the phone back to Rose. She took it and pushed a few buttons. Curiosity got the better of me and I went to stand next to her. Her phone was working! I gave the Doctor a surprised look and he smiled. Then, Rose put the phone to her ear, calling her mom.

"Mum?" she asked. I saw the Doctor grin and my surprise only increased. Rose was able to call Jackie? That was impressive. I could slightly hear Jackie's rambling on the other line and Rose smiled, relieved and unbelievably happy. Rose conversed with her mom while I stood to the side with the Doctor, a smile on my face. Rose turned to me suddenly and gave me the phone.

"Jackie?" I asked.

"Hey, love! Rose said you needed to ask me something."

"Oh, yes um… I've kind of gone travelling with a good friend of mine. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone," I started explaining.

"Ooooo, who is this boy?" Jackie asked.

"He's just a friend, Jackie!" I explained quickly. I heard Rose and the Doctor laugh. "So, anyway, there's a spare key at my apartment in the plant next to the door. Can you look after my stuff? Make sure no one sells it or steals it or has me declared dead?" I requested with a laugh. Jackie laughed too.

"Of course, Viviana. I'll talk to you later!" Then she hung up. I handed the phone back to Rose and she pocketed it.

"That was five billion years ago," Rose breathed out. "So… she's dead now. Five billion years later, my mum's dead."

"Bundle of laughs, you are," the Doctor said sarcastically. I elbowed him in the side. I knew what it felt like to have a dead mother. The room rumbled and trembled slightly. I looked at the Doctor confused.

"That's not supposed to happen," he stated. We then heard an announcement about turbulence and gravity pockets.

"That wasn't a gravity pocket was it?" I asked the Doctor, already suspecting the answer.

"No. It wasn't," the Doctor muttered. My suspicions confirmed. The three of us walked from the observation room to where the other guests were still hanging around. "That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets, and they don't feel like that." The Doctor studied a panel. "What do you think, Jabe?" I turned and saw the beautiful tree walking towards us. "Listen to the engines, they're pitched up about 30 Hertz," the Doctor stated. I blinked, not having any idea what any of that meant. "Is that dodgy or what?"

"It's the sound of metal, it doesn't make any sense to me," Jabe replied with a shrug.

"Where's the engine room?"

"I don't know." Jabe said. "But the maintenance duct is just behind our guests' suite, I could show you. And your wives." My eyes widened. Did she just call Rose and I the Doctor's wives?

"Oh, they're not my wives," he said looking at Jabe intently. I rolled my eyes at their flirting.

"Partners?"

"No."

"Concubines."

"Nope."

"Prostitutes?"

"Whatever we are, it must be invisible. Do you mind?" Rose asked.

"Seriously, we're just his friends," I commented.

"Tell you what, you two go and pollinate. We're going to catch up with the family," Rose said starting to drag me towards Cassandra. I was about to protest, but the Doctor beat me to it.

"I actually have to talk to Viviana for a mo," he said dragging me back towards him. Rose merely shrugged and stalked towards the trampoline.

"Don't start a fight," the Doctor advised Rose.

"I want you two home by midnight!" Rose called to me and the Doctor. I saluted her playfully and the Doctor gave her a look.

"Earth death in 15 minutes. Earth death in 15 minutes," the automated voice said. I cursed it in my head while following Jabe and the Doctor from the room. We made our way to the maintenance duct. The Doctor went in first, followed closely behind by Jabe. I made my way in after them. I heard a few scuttles, like metal on metal, but I shrugged it off. It was probably one of the machines or systems down here.

"Who's in charge of Platform One? Has it got a captain or what?" the Doctor wondered.

"There's just the steward and the staff. All the rest is controlled by the metal mind," Jabe explained.

"You mean, the computer? Well, who controls that?"

"The Corporation. They move Platform One from one artistic event to another."

"Well, there's no one from the Corporation on board."

"They're not needed. This facility is purely automatic. It's the height of the Alpha Class. Nothing can go wrong."

"Unsinkable?" the Doctor asked.

"If you like," Jabe agreed.

"I've heard that before," I muttered under my breath, thinking about the Titanic. The

Doctor looked over his shoulder and gave me a small smile.

"The nautical metaphor is appropriate," Jabe continued.

"You're telling me! I was on board another ship once. They said that was unsinkable." My eyes widened and the Doctor shot me a wink. He was on the Titanic? Of course he was. He's the Doctor. "I ended up clinging to an iceberg. It wasn't half cold." My surprise only increased but I didn't let it show. "So, what you're saying is, if we get in trouble, there's no one to help us out?" the Doctor asked stopping. I froze too and looked at Jabe.

"I'm afraid not," she answered.

"Fantastic!" The Doctor said with a smile. I rolled my eyes. Only the Doctor would be happy or excited about that.

"I don't understand. In what way is that fantastic?" Jabe asked confused.

"Jabe, I find that when it comes to the Doctor, it's easier and best to just not ask and go along with it," I said from behind her. She didn't even acknowledge me.

"So, tell me Jabe. What's a tree like you doing in a place like this?" the Doctor asked.

"Respect for Earth."

"Come on! Everyone on this platform is worth zillions!"

"Well, perhaps it's a case of having to be seen at the right occasions," Jabe admitted. I rolled my eyes, irritated that only Rose and I were the only people who felt remorse.

"In case your share prices drop?" the Doctor asked. "I know you lot. You've got massive forests everywhere, roots everywhere. And there's always money in land." This statement only irritated me more. I had to work to not let it show. Good thing I had always been good at hiding and masking my emotions.

"All the same. We respect the Earth as family. So many species evolved from that planet. Mankind is only one. I am another. My ancestors were transplanted from the planet down below. And I'm a direct descendant of the tropical rainforest," Jabe stated. I guess she had more respect for Earth than she was letting on.

"Excuse me," the Doctor muttered pulling out the Sonic. He started scanning a panel.

"And what about your ancestry, Doctor?" Jabe asked him. He didn't respond, and I didn't expect him to. "Perhaps you could tell a story or two. Perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing else left?" My eyes narrowed. The way Jabe was talking… it was like she knew what he was, but that was impossible. Time Lords had been long extinct even during my time, well, except for the Doctor of course. He had never given me a straight answer when I confronted him, but I just knew.

"I scanned you earlier. The metal machine had trouble identifying your species. It refused to admit your existence, and even when it named you, I couldn't believe it. But it was right. I know where you're from!" Jabe exclaimed. My eyes widened and I put a hand on the Doctor's shoulder. He relaxed slightly at my touch. "Forgive me for intruding, but it's remarkable that you even exist. I just want to say… how sorry I am." I knew Jabe's words were genuine, but I couldn't help but feel annoyed at her for saying all of this. There were reasons the Doctor didn't like to talk about his planet or his people. Then, Jabe put a hand on his arm, while mine still rested on his shoulder. The Doctor looked over at her, then at me. I was surprised when I saw the tears in his eyes. I gave him a sad look before he turned his gaze back to Jabe. He put his hand over hers for a few seconds before standing up, taking my hand, and dashing off. We soon arrived at a door and the Doctor opened it.

"Shouldn't the human girl stay?" Jabe asked.

"She's not human," the Doctor replied stepping outside. My eyes widened and I froze in

my tracks.

"What?" I asked him.

"Viviana," he started. "I told you, I'll explain everything, but hold on! Do you have

another birthmark?" he asked me. My eyes widened. I did have another birthmark, but the only people who ever knew about it were Aunt Maggie and Grandpapa. I slowly leaned down and pulled up the leg of my jeans. On the outside of my left ankle, was a birthmark that looked like a sun. It was weird, but I liked it.

"Impossible," Jabe breathed out.

"You'll be fine," the Doctor said after inspecting my birthmark. I released the leg of my

jeans and pointed at him. "Besides, the heat shields are up."

"You have some explaining to do, Doctor," I told him.

"Wait, she doesn't know?" Jabe asked.

"No. She grew up on Earth and her family never told her," the Doctor explained. Surprisingly,

Jabe approached me and gripped my hands.

"I am sorry for you also, Viviana. To not know, I can't even imagine." I had no idea what she was talking about, but something was tugging at the back of my brain. Something that I couldn't find. It irritated me to no end. Jabe and the Doctor stepped outside the platform, and I hesitantly followed. I looked forward and saw propellers, huge propellers.

"Is it me, or is it a bit nippy?" the Doctor asked us. I gave him a look. How was I

supposed to know?

"Fair dos, though, that's a great bit of air-conditioning." the Doctor said. "Sort of nice and old-fashioned. Bet they call it retro." The Doctor scanned another panel with the Sonic before pulling off the front of the panel. The door fell to the ground and a metal spider thing scurried away. The Doctor, Jabe, and I watched in wonder as it scurried up the side of the platform.

"What the hell is that?" the Doctor and I asked at the same time.

"Is it part of the 'retro?'?" Jabe asked.

"I don't think so, hold on." The Doctor pointed the Sonic at the machine, but nothing was

happening. Suddenly, a vine flew past my ear and snatched up the machine. Jabe placed the spider thing in the Doctor's hands.

"Hey, nice liana," he praised.

"Thank you," she replied, flattered. "I'm not supposed to show them in public.

"Your secret's safe with us," I said with a wink. Jabe smiled at me before turning back to the Doctor.

"Now then, who's been bringing their pets on board?" the Doctor wondered.

"What does it do?" Jabe asked nervously.

"Sabotage…"

"Earth death in 10 minutes. Earth death in 10 minutes," the stupid automated voice announced.

"Doctor, it's going to start getting hot," I stated. He nodded and we shuffled inside. We soon arrived at a place where staff was hanging around. There was smoke coming from inside a room. The Doctor quickly scanned the panel.

"Sunfilter rising. Sunfilter rising." Damn that voice.

"Is the steward in there?" Jabe asked.

"You can smell him," the Doctor said grimly. The Doctor panicked slightly when he saw something on the panel. He dashed off and I sprinted after him, Jabe close behind.

"Let me out!" I heard a frightened voice shout. My eyes widened as I came up the stand beside the Doctor. It was Rose.

"Oh, well, it would be you," he muttered. I elbowed him, not caring if it was soft or not.

"Rose!" I called.

"Viviana! Open the door!"

"Hold on, give us two ticks," the Doctor replied.

"Sunfilter descending. Sunfilter descending." Rose continued banging on the door as the Doctor worked. I couldn't help but feel useless. Where was Jabe anyway?

"Sunfilter rising. Sunfilter rising." I sighed in relief.

"Sunfilter descending." My heart sank and I looked at the Doctor wide eyed. He began working again.

"It's just what we need. The computer's getting clever," he grumbled. Mr. Brooding was starting to make an appearance.

"Stop mucking about!" Rose complained.

"I'm not mucking about! It's fighting back!" the Doctor called back, irritated.

"Come on, Doctor!" I cried. He worked furiously with the Sonic, but nothing was happening.

"Sunfilter rising. Sunfilter rising." I breathed another sigh of relief. The Doctor went to open the door, but his face soon fell.

"The opening's jammed. I can't open the door. Stay there, don't move!" the Doctor called to Rose. I moved to follow him but he stopped me.

"Stay," he commanded.

"I want to help," I protested.

"I need you to be safe. I don't want something to happen to both of you, stay here, please, Viviana." I looked into the Doctor's eyes. He was practically begging. I nodded and he dashed off.

"Earth death in five minutes. Earth death in five minutes."

"Just shut up already!" I yelled.

"Viviana, you okay?" Rose called.

"Me? What about you?" I called back.

"Perfect," she replied sarcastically. I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Suddenly, there was an explosion. I dived down to the ground, covering my head. The entire platform shook violently. That could not be good. I kept my promise though, and stayed where I was.

"What the hell was that?" I wondered.

"Viviana, you okay?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, you?"

"What is going on?"

"I wish I knew." My voice was small, quiet. The alarms almost drowned it out.

"Earth death in two minutes. Earth death in two minutes. Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising." Uh-oh. Why would the heat levels be rising? Something definitely wasn't right. Rose and I remained silent though, thinking our silent prayers, hoping the Doctor would save the day once again. The automated voice kept making announcements, annoying me to no end. Then I heard cracking. I looked to a window on my right and saw fractures in the glass.

"Viviana!" Rose yelled. She had seen the same thing obviously.

"Rose! Don't worry, the Doctor will stop this… hopefully."

"I want to go home," she whimpered. I was silenced. I knew she didn't really mean it, she was just scared. I was too. I merely closed my eyes, praying that the Doctor would stop this… whatever this was. "Shields malfunction," the automated voice said. Oh, God. I swore under my breath. Then, I heard Rose started screaming.

"Rose!" I yelled. "What is it? What's going on?"

"The glass is breaking!" She screamed again.

"I swear to God, if we die I'm going to kill myself a Time Lord," I muttered angrily. Whatever the Doctor was doing, he needed to hurry his butt up. I heard the sound of glass cracking. I looked just in time to see a sunbeam shining through the window, landing right at my feet. I pushed myself closer to the door, hoping that I could get away. Rose was still whimpering inside the room. More sunbeams appeared on the floor, threatening to burn me. Then, I did something very, very stupid. I put my hand into the beam. I felt no pain. It felt like a pleasant sunbath. I gasped and pulled my hand back, there was nothing wrong with it. How was that possible?

"Planet explodes in ten, nine…" the voice began counting down. I closed my eyes, hoping that the Doctor would save us, that he would restore the shields somehow. '_Doctor…'_ I thought. About a second before the Earth was due to explode, the shields had been raised, protecting us from the blast and heat. I smiled, knowing the Doctor had something to do with it.

'_Oh, Thank the Time Lords!' _I thought to myself.

'_Time_ Lord.' I nearly screamed when I heard the Doctor's voice in my mind.

'_Whoa! Doctor! You can hear me?' _I asked hopefully. I had probably imagined it.

'_Viviana?' _My eyes widened.

_ 'Doctor? What's going on?' _I was really starting to freak out. First, I survive standing out in space, which no human was supposed to be able to do, then I was able to survive the heat and the sunbeams, now, I had telepathy. I suddenly heard a deep laugh and… felt amusement for some reason.

'_What's so funny?'_ I thought more to myself than the Doctor. He remained silent for a minute, as if thoughtful, before replying.

'_I'll explain back at the TARDIS.'_ I rolled my eyes, that was his answer to all of my questions lately.

"Viviana!" I heard Rose yell from the other side of the door. Together, she and I forced the door open. I wrapped her in a hug and she returned it gratefully. We pulled away and just looked at each other. Without saying anything, we turned and started walking towards the meeting room, where most of the guests would most likely be. When we got there, I saw that the Moxx of Balhoon had been burned to a crisp, in fact, there was nothing left of him. Others were milling around, muttering and whispering nervously. I heard the door open and turned to see the Doctor walking in, and he was not in a good mood. He merely glanced at me and Rose before going to talk to two aliens. Rose and I exchanged nervous glances. Something was wrong. Then my eyebrows furrowed, where was Jabe? Then I realized something else, the two aliens the Doctor was talking to, were Lute and Coffa, Jabe's companions. I saw the Doctor put a hand on each of their shoulders before bowing his head. Lute and Coffa turned to each other and I could hear sniffling. That could only mean one thing, Jabe was dead.

"You all right?" Rose asked the Doctor when he started walking towards us.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered emotionlessly. He was obviously not fine, but I knew not to push him. Fortunately, Rose caught his mood and didn't speak again. "I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them." The Doctor started to pace. "Idea number one, teleportation through 5,000 degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two, this feed must be hidden nearby." The Doctor stalked over to where Cassandra's ostrich egg was displayed. He took it, and smashed it, revealing a transmitter.

"Idea number three. If you're as clever as me, then a teleportation-feed can be reversed." The Doctor started up the transmitter, causing an annoyingly high whistle to emit from it. I heard the bitch before I saw her.

"Oh, you should've seen their little alien faces…" Cassandra was saying. Then she appeared and saw the Doctor. "Oh."

"The last human," he said bitterly.

"Of course it would be the trampoline," I muttered under my breath. Rose stifled a giggle, causing me to smile. No one paid us any mind though.

"So, you passed my little test. Bravo!" Cassandra said sarcastically. "This makes you eligible to join… the Human Club."

"People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them," the Doctor stated. I guess Cassandra was the one behind the spiders and the shields failing.

"That depends on your definition of people," Cassandra said. My eyes narrowed in disgust. She really had the decency to call herself a human when she was nothing but skin, blood, and lipstick? "That's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court then, Doctor. Watch me smile and cry and flutter..."

"And creak?" the Doctor and I asked at the same time. It was true, Cassandra was starting to creak. The Doctor turned and gave me a small smile.

"And what?" Cassandra asked.

"Creak, you're creaking!" Cassandra's skin was beginning to visibly dry now.

"What?" she asked panicked. She gave a few grunts. "I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens, moisturize me, moisturize me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!" Cassandra's skin was now turning red. "Have pity!" I rolled my eyes at her. The trampoline continued wailing and pleading but the Doctor merely stood there. Rose and I walked forward and stood on either side of the Doctor.

"Help her," Rose requested gently. Neither the Doctor nor I looked at her.

"Everything has its time and everything dies," he said a little bitterly. I hesitantly reached out, trying to find his hand. Before I could though, his palm touched mine and he grasped my hand tightly, like he was remembering something he didn't want to. I knew exactly what he was thinking about; the Time War. I gave his hand a small squeeze, telling him that I was there, and he seemed to relax. He didn't let go of my hand though. Rose looked at him incredulously and I watched as Cassandra began to shrink, claiming to be too young to die. Suddenly, her skin ripped apart and flew towards us. I was too late in moving and a piece of her hit me square in the face. I flinched back and let go of the Doctor's hand to wipe Cassandra's skin and blood off my face. I took of my hat, making sure there wasn't anything on it, before putting it back on. I knew that the Doctor and Rose were looking at me, but I didn't return their gaze. I turned and walked away.

I soon found myself in a room, looking out at the sky. Pieces of the Earth were floating around, making me feel slightly homesick. But hey, it wasn't every day I got the opportunity to meet and talk to trees, watch the Earth explode, or have bitchy trampoline thrust in my face. I heard someone come stand beside me, who I soon figured out to be Rose. She didn't say anything, but merely started out the window also. I heard more footsteps, knowing that it was the Doctor this time. He came and stood to my right.

"The end of the Earth," Rose said, her voice full of emotion. "It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves, no one saw it go. All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking. It's just…" I closed my eyes sadly, knowing that she was thinking about her mom.

"Come with me," the Doctor merely said. Rose didn't reply as the three of us turned and started walking towards the TARDIS. The walk was silent, but the Doctor held my hand softly. I immediately let go once we were inside, and the Doctor gave me a funny look. I rubbed my temples, I felt a headache coming. My whole body had begun to ache and I felt like I could fall over on the spot. The Doctor powered up the TARDIS, and a few seconds later, Rose opened the door to reveal London. The Doctor and I followed her, me barely keeping up with how weak I was feeling. People were bustling around us.

"You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete. But it won't. One day, it's all gone. Even the sky," the Doctor said looking up. I could barely keep my eyes open, let alone look up too. "My planet's gone." My eyes widened and I felt a burst of energy. I looked up at him and he gave me a sad smile. Rose was looking at the Doctor now, too. "It's dead. It burned, like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust. Before its time."

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"There was a war, and we lost. Mine wasn't the only planet lost. There were others," the Doctor said grabbing my hand. My eyes widened. What was he trying to say? He had already told me straight up that I wasn't human, but to claim that the planet where I was born was gone… that scared me more than anything. If my planet was gone, lost in the Time War, then it was safe to assume that my people were gone too, just like the Time Lords. I closed my eyes, feeling a wave of loss and grief roll over me. I nearly collapsed at the sadness that hit me; it brought tears to my eyes so suddenly that before I could stop them, they were pouring down my cheeks.

"A war with whom?" Rose asked gently. The Doctor didn't answer, neither did I. "What about your people?"

"I'm a Time Lord," the Doctor admitted. "I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone, I'm the only survivor. I'm left travelling on my own because there's no one else."

"There's me," Rose quickly pointed out. "There's Viviana."

"You've seen how dangerous it is. Do you want to go home?" he asked her.

"I don't know," she admitted.

"Viviana?" the Doctor asked me. I couldn't even look up.

"No," I whispered.

"Viviana, are you okay?" he asked me. I couldn't even answer, because merely thinking more about the emotions I was experiencing made more tears escape my eyes.

"I'm just feeling drained…" I answered after a minute. Rose looked like this cleared everything up, but the Doctor wasn't convinced that it was everything.

"Can you smell chips?" Rose suddenly asked.

"Yeah!" The Doctor answered laughing.

"I want chips," Rose admitted.

"Me too," the Doctor agreed.

"All right then, before you get me back in that box, chips it is and you can pay," Rose concluded.

"No money."

"What sort of date are you? Viv, you coming?" Rose asked. I still couldn't even look up.

"You two go, I'm gonna…" I trailed off. I turned and slowly made my way to the TARDIS, not looking back once. Once inside, I almost collapsed. I wasn't able to make it ten more feet before I fell to my knees, close to unconsciousness. I didn't even notice the blood dripping from my nose. Seconds later, my world turned black.

I found myself looking down at my body. Okay, now that was weird. I looked down at my "body" and saw that I was made of blue mist.

"Evelyn," I heard a soft voice say. I spun around and saw four blue mist people. A smile grew to my face seeing them. Aunt Maggie and Grandpapa were beaming at me with open arms. I immediately threw myself into their embrace. I heard them laughing slightly, but all I could do was cry.

"We're here, Eve. We're here," Aunt Maggie soothed me. I relaxed in her arms when I heard my nickname. I soon pulled away from Aunt Maggie and Grandpapa to see the other two people. The man, I had never seen before, but the woman was someone I only recognized because I had seen pictures of her. She smiled at me.

"Evelyn." It was the same soft voice from earlier. Tears sprang to my eyes as I looked at my mother.

"Mom…?" She nodded and I immediately hugged her. I don't know how long it had been before I pulled away, but it was a while. Tears of joy ran down my cheeks as I looked at her with wide eyes.

"Look at you. You're so beautiful. You look like your father," she said with a laugh. It was probably true. Mom had blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Speaking of… Evelyn, this is James… your father," Mom said gesturing to the man I didn't recognize. I stared at him for a minute. Mom was right when she said I looked like him. We had the same brown hair and green eyes.

"Hey, kiddo," he said with a smile.

"You left." My eyes immediately widened and I was about to apologize, but he laughed.

"I forgot, you don't really know what happened."

"Viviana, do you remember the story I told you right before I died, the one about the Incolae?" Grandpapa asked. I turned to him and nodded.

"You said that it was a special story, one that you had been saving for me," I said. "The Incolae were the people who inhabited the planet, Domum. They were classified as either a Solis or a Noctis. It had to do with the brain, right? The way they acted?" I asked. Grandpapa nodded and motioned for me to go on.

"A Solis was considered to be left-brained, to use a human term. They valued knowledge and logic more than most anything. They didn't often let their emotions show. They were soldiers, politicians, teachers, scholars, etc… A Noctis was considered to be right-brained. They were creative, artistic. They were often writers, musicians, entertainers, artists… The Solis had special skills, like being able to withstand critical heat levels, the ability to deceive people, and the ability to read minds and speak to others with their minds. The Solis were very intelligent, they were able to solve problems and riddles and puzzles quickly and they often noticed things others would overlook. The Noctis were good with emotions, good and bad. They could survive the harshest winter weathers, they could hypnotize people, and could often get small premonitions about things or people. They are good at reading people. Another difference was that the Solis were strongest during the day. The Noctis were strongest at night. Solis were more social, they would prefer going to parties while a Noctis would be perfectly content staying home and reading. The Solis hated being alone, while the Noctis often preferred to be alone."

"What was the actual story?" Grandpapa asked me. I stared at him, confused, but didn't question him.

"It started with a Noctis woman and a Solis man meeting on the street one day. They quickly became friends and over the next few centuries, they became lovers. That was forbidden though, a Noctis could only be with a Noctis and a Solis would only be with another Solis. Adding in the fact that Incolae only fall in love once in their entire lives, the situation was bad. The Time War was starting, and Domum was threatened. Incolae everywhere were panicking. The woman soon found out that she was pregnant, but she wasn't the only one. The High Council found out and banished her. Before she could be sent away though, Domum fell under attack. The man went to join his comrades in battle while the woman and her family tried to escape. The woman, very pregnant by this time, gave birth to a daughter on the ship. Something went wrong though, and the ship fell through space and time. The woman didn't survive the crash, but her two family members and newborn daughter did."

"Good, you remembered most of the details," Grandpapa praised. I smiled at him. "What you forgot was that the man was part of the royal family. The daughter was technically a princess." I raised an eyebrow.

"Any other details I forgot?" Grandpapa's grin dropped.

"Well, um… The story's true, Viviana."

"Yeah… I figured. I mean, everything you said about the Time Lords was true, so why not the Incolae?" I said with a shrug. "The daughter was me, wasn't it? Mom, having just given birth, was weak and wasn't able to survive the crash. But how could I survive? I was a newborn," I pointed out. My family was staring at me with impressed expressions.

"She is definitely your daughter," Mom muttered to Dad, making me smile.

"Eve, someone like you, a Solis and a Noctis, they used to exist, but breeding like that was made illegal because they were so powerful. Once an Incola turns 21, they stop aging, and their life spans are so large they are practically immortal. Our bodies become stronger and we are able to withstand even more than we were before. That's how you survived. You are so much more powerful than any of us, even as an infant," Aunt Maggie explained.

"So my birthmarks…?" I asked.

"Everyone has one, marking them as a Solis or Noctis, but you have two, because you are both," Dad said. I looked down, so many questions were swimming through my head, but one was overpowering the rest.

"You all are dead, but I'm here too, so am I…? I was almost afraid to voice my thoughts.

"No. However, you are close. Solis do possess the power of telepathy, but they can only do it with other Solis. If they want to have that connection with a Noctis, they have to form a mental bond, allowing both people full access to the other's mind. You were able to accomplish telepathy with someone outside our race, only a handful of Incolae have ever done that. Your body is suffering, needing the bond," Mom explained.

"Who did you accomplish this with?" Dad inquired. Just then, I heard the door of the TARDIS open. I turned to see the Doctor and Rose staring at the scene in front of them with wide eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: A New Connection**

"Viviana!" Rose yelled, concerned.

"Who are they!" the Doctor demanded. I rolled my eyes at him; he obviously hadn't noticed that I was made out of blue mist, or that my body was lying on the floor of the TARDIS. Grandpapa let out a bark of laughter.

"I knew it!" he yelled. "I told you, I told you! My word, the TARDIS has changed. Did you redecorate?" Grandpapa asked the Doctor.

"Nathaniel…? But you're…" the Doctor trailed off. He noticed my body.

"What's going on?" Rose cried. "I don't know who you lot are, but give Viviana back!"

"Rose, it's okay. This is my family." I pointed them out to her.

"But your family's-"

"Now's not the time, Rose," the Doctor interrupted. "What's wrong with you?" I hesitated.

"Doctor… Viviana is suffering. Incolae can't normally communicate with people who aren't other Incolae, and if they do, they need to forge a mental bond. Viviana is dying, because there is no mental bond between her and whomever she communicated with," Grandpapa explained. The Doctor looked stunned by this news, but his expression soon shifted, from stunned to determined.

"What do I have to do?" he asked firmly. My eyes widened.

"You don't have to do anything, Doctor," I argued. He gave me a hard look.

"I'm not letting you die, Viviana. What do I have to do?"

"Viviana must return to her body first. Doctor, know this, if her body rejects her, she will die," Grandpapa said grimly. The Doctor and I locked eyes.

"Tell me what to do," he said.

"To create the bond, you must let everything down, all your guards, and shields. You have to let each other in. If the bond works, you will each have complete access to each other's minds. A shield will rise up around you once this happens. This is the most crucial part. You have to kiss." Grandpapa explained. My eyes widened but the Doctor remained neutral.

"Say what now?" I asked.

"Forming a mental bond is part of the Mating process for both Incolae and Time Lords.

Though you two won't be mates, this is the only way to make the bond. Mating requires a mental, emotional, and physical bond, and you have to have all three of those before the Mating process even truly begins. The Doctor knows this," Mom explained. I blushed at the thought of kissing the Doctor. It wasn't that I felt for him that way, I didn't, but he was attractive. And well, it would be my first kiss. I didn't voice this though. How embarrassing would it be to admit that you're a 19 year old who's never been kissed!

"You need to do this now, she won't last much longer." Grandpapa said quickly. I turned to my family.

"Will I ever see you again?" I asked frantically.

"Of course, Evelyn," Mom answered soothingly. "But, before we go, we have two gifts for you." My family surrounded me, and before I had the chance to ask, they each placed a hand on my head. My eyes widened as information, memories, emotions, and other things flashed through my head. It ended as soon as it started.

"We just shared everything we know with you, all our memories, all our knowledge, all our emotions," Aunt Maggie explained. "Your second gift is in your room. Now go, return to your body."

"Wait, what room?"

"Your room here in the TARDIS, of course," Aunt Maggie said like it was obvious. "Now go!" I turned my eyes away from them and flew back into my body. My eyes

snapped open and the Doctor immediately hauled me to my feet. I remembered what I was supposed to do, and I began letting my defenses down. The Doctor didn't break eye contact with me, but I felt my strength leaving me. Suddenly, a blue mist surrounded me and the Doctor, like a chamber concealing us inside. The Doctor immediately grabbed my waist and pulled me closer. My heart rate increased considerably and my face reddened as his face drew closer to mine. His lips met mine a few seconds later and I closed my eyes. He slowly kissed me and I started to kiss him back. Something tugged in my gut, but I ignored it. I focused on forming the mental bond. A few seconds later, I saw his memories, thoughts, and knowledge flow into my mind. I could see everything, meaning he could also. He pulled me closer as the bond continued to form. I put my arms around his neck and held him tightly. All the memories, thoughts, and knowledge slowed down a few seconds later, and I could feel the bond. I could really feel it. The Doctor and I pulled away as the blue shield dissipated. I felt normal again, not exhausted, drained, or tired.

"That's it?" I asked no one in particular.

"Yes." I turned around, not expecting my family to still be standing there.

"Goodbye, kiddo, we'll see you soon," Dad said. Their forms disappeared and the mist flew towards me. I watched as it went into my necklace, Aunt Maggie's necklace. When the mist was completely gone, I noticed the faint blue glow the necklace had to it now. I smiled, and closed my eyes, feeling grateful how close my family was to me. Then, I turned to Rose and the Doctor.

"So… where are we going next?"

"What the hell just happened!" Rose yelled. I didn't even flinch, I had noticed that when she was confused, frustrated, or sad, she got angry. Both she and Jackie were like that. I had gotten used to it quickly.

"The Doctor and I made a mental bond," I answered.

"What's a mental bond?"

"It means we have full access to each other's minds," the Doctor explained. I nodded in

confirmation.

"Why?" Rose asked, more curious than anything now. I saw something else in her eyes though, it was… jealousy? Of course, Rose must fancy the Doctor. I almost smirked at the realization but now was not the time.

"I was dying, Rose," I started. "The Doctor made the bond with me to save my life."

"Yeah well, I've kissed plenty of guys, and I don't have a 'mental bond' with any of

them," Rose pointed out. The Doctor and I exchanged challenging looks, like neither of us wanted to be the one to tell her that I wasn't human. She obviously hadn't picked up on that fact yet. After a few more seconds though, the Doctor surprisingly gave in.

"Rose… Viviana's not human like we all thought she was. Even she didn't know." Rose stared at me.

"So… you're an alien?" she asked me. I couldn't read her tone, so I just nodded. "Are

you a Time Lord… or Lady?" I shook my head.

"My race is called the Incolae. Our planet, Domum, wasn't very far from the Doctor's

planet and our races share many similarities. Among other things, we can make mental bonds with people," I began to explain. Rose sat down where she stood and started to rub her temples.

"That is so weird," she whispered almost to herself. I chuckled.

"You're telling me," I said going to sit next to her. She laughed too. Then I caught the Doctor looking at me weirdly. I gave him a look. "What? It's not as if I've suddenly grown two heads. You figured it out, why are you staring at me like that?"

"You had a private doctor didn't you?" he asked. I nodded while furrowing my eyebrows.

"Yes, but why does that matter?"

"Incolae, like the Time Lords, have slightly different anatomy from humans," he said. I

raised an eyebrow, kind of confused as to why he wasn't telling me what it was. Then I searched my family's knowledge, well I guess they were mine now. I eventually found what I was looking for and my eyes widened. Two hearts?

"I can only feel one," I said. The Doctor's eyebrows drew together before he looked at… my chest. "My eyes are not on my chest, Doctor." He rolled his eyes and walked towards me. I reached towards my chest and ripped something off it. I cried out in pain and glared at him.

"Perception filter patch," he explained. "It made it seem like you only had one." He tossed the patch away and I rubbed my stinging skin. Although, now that the perception filter was gone, I could feel the twin heart beating.

"Can we…?" I asked, still not giving away any information. I knew Rose was feeling confused, and was beginning to get frustrated, but I didn't care at the time.

"The process is slightly different, but yes." My eyes widened even more.

"What is it?" Rose asked, slightly demanding. The Doctor and I had another staring

contest, but this time, the reason was different. The Doctor didn't want to tell Rose much of anything. I knew he was still getting used to having to two people on the TARDIS with him, and he didn't like telling people about himself and the Time War. I felt she had a right to know. This time, the Doctor won.

"It's weird alien stuff. Trust me Rose, you _don't_ want to know," I said standing up. The Doctor had a slightly relieved look on his face and I rolled my eyes at him.

'_She has a right to know.'_ I told him telepathically.

'_Not yet.' _

'_Why not?' _

'_I don't want to talk about it! Unless I have to regenerate, or you have to revitalize, she can remain ignorant.' _I didn't reply. I knew I was fighting a losing battle. Instead, I went to my thoughts. I remembered something that Aunt Maggie had said.

"Doctor… something Aunt Maggie said-"

"Down that hallway, take the third right, second left, third door on the left," the Doctor said, cutting me off. I began to wonder how he knew what I was going to ask, but then I mentally smacked myself. Mental bond, duh! I followed his instructions and found the room. I stood in front of the door for a few minutes, just staring at it. I was almost afraid to go inside. I shook my head, I had no reason to be hesitant. I gripped the doorknob and pushed open the door. Inside, was a huge room that looked exactly like my apartment. My eyes widened before I spun around, looking at what was my living room. Was this the real deal? Was this all my stuff?

'_It's real, that is all your stuff.'_ I jumped at the sound of the deep voice, but then I relaxed. I recognized it. The voice belonged to James, my dad. I smiled at the sound of his voice.

"Thank you," I whispered out loud. I breathed in deeply, the room even smelled like the old apartment. I walked forward and found the hallway that was supposed to lead to my bedroom. I opened the door, and found everything where it was supposed to be, as if I was in my actual apartment in London. I explored the rest of the "apartment." It was perfect and I couldn't help but let out a loud laugh. Before I knew it, I was running around the room, laughing like a little kid. After a few minutes, I heard a chuckle. I froze and looked towards the door. The Doctor was leaning on the frame, a small smile on his face. I merely shrugged, unashamed of what I was doing and the fact that he had seen.

"Got something to say, Doctor?" I asked raising an eyebrow. My tone was challenging, I was daring him to say something.

"Are you normally that childish?" he asked. I smiled and nodded.

"I hate people who take life too seriously. There's no fun and joy in being an adult, with all the responsibilities, the work, the restrictions. I've always wanted to travel, to be free, to go on an adventure, and now I've got that with my best friends, I couldn't be happier," I cheerfully spewed. The Doctor chuckled again.

"I've never really thought about it that way before," he admitted.

"Not a lot of people do. They're all too busy trying to become millionaires, picking up girls at bars, or stressing about good grades," I replied. It was true, and it was one of the reasons I never really had many friends. I either thought that they were too serious, or they thought I was too carefree and that I never took anything seriously. That was false of course, I just didn't take too many things seriously. I took my family seriously, and now that I had friends, I took them seriously also. There were other things, but I didn't care about soccer, or football, as much as some other people, I didn't care if I got a B on a test, and I always preferred staying home and reading compared to going to a big crazy party with pot and beer.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when the Doctor stepped into the room. He kind of walked around, and since everything was the same as it was before, it was a little messy. After a year, I still had yet to organize all of my inheritance from Grandpapa and Aunt Maggie.

"This was your apartment?" he asked.

"Yeah. Grandpapa stubbornly refused to move, even though this place is barely big enough for two people. He always liked it here, and I guess that after he died, I just felt closer to him here. This place looks exactly the same, it even smells the same."

"It smells like ink and vanilla," the Doctor said sniffing. I smiled.

"Grandpapa always used a typewriter or an ink pot and quill when he wrote. The Vanilla is because that is my favorite scent. I have vanilla candles all over the place. Grandpapa always said that it was my natural scent too, just like Mom," I said kind of sadly at the end. Despite just being with her, I missed her, she was my mom, why wouldn't I want to be with her and know her. Memories of my planet sneak attacked me, and I nearly felt overwhelmed. It was so beautiful, way more beautiful than Earth. The sky was a vibrant teal and the three suns were red, yellow, and orange. Our five moons were silver, a deep purple and a deep green. The grass was beautiful shades of green, red, and blue. The silver and white mountains seemed to go on forever. I didn't realize that a smile had grown on my face until the Doctor commented on it.

"What's got you so happy?"

"I was just thinking about Domum. It was so beautiful. I just wish I could see it in person, and your planet. It was quite beautiful also," I said a little distantly. The Doctor nodded sadly.

"Nothing here on Earth really comes close does it?" I shrugged.

"For the most part. But, when I lived in Colorado, in the mountains, you could walk outside in the winter months, and snow would be there, completely white, untouched, and beautiful. Sometimes the sun would come out and the light would hit the snow and make it shine like a thousand diamonds. I miss the snow, we never get any in London." The Doctor didn't reply. Then I felt a slight nudge in the back of my mind. The memory that he was looking for made its way forward and I smiled slightly. It was of my house in the mountains, in the middle of the winter. There was a foot of snow, and the sun was shining brightly, even though it was only about 10 degrees.

"That is quite beautiful," he admitted. I nodded, agreeing and the Doctor and I fell into an awkward silence. We remained silent until Rose came and stood next to the Doctor.

"There you two are! Geez, this place is huge! Why does this room look like your apartment?" Rose spewed out very quickly. I quickly explained the situation.

"Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm ready to get going!" the Doctor said before Rose could reply. He obviously was itching to go somewhere. I rolled my eyes slightly before Rose and I followed him back to the front of the TARDIS.


	4. Chapter 4

Just a quick note, the link to Viviana's outfit for this episode is on my profile.

* * *

**Episode 3: "The Unquiet Dead"**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Ghosts, Aliens, and Charles Dickens. Oh my!**

"Hold that one down!" The Doctor commanded.

"I'm holding this one down!" Rose retorted. The TARDIS was rocking and I could tell we were in for a bumpy ride.

"Well, hold them both down."

"Got it," I declared, reaching over the console for the right button. Despite knowing how to fly the TARDIS now, I obeyed his commands as he flew her.

"This isn't going to work!" Rose cried.

"Oi! I promised you a time machine and that's what you get," the Doctor retorted. "Now, you've seen the future, let's have a look at the past. 1860! How does 1860 sound?" the Doctor asked.

"What happened in 1860?" Rose asked.

"I don't know. Let's find out. Hold on! Here we go!" The Doctor pulled down a lever and the TARDIS lurched. I fell forward while trying to keep my grip on the console, but the ride wasn't exactly smooth. I lost my grip and fell face first onto the floor of the TARDIS. Merely seconds later, two more things fell on me, making it hard to breathe. The wheezing of the TARDIS stopped and I heard laughing coming from the Doctor.

"Blimey!" Rose breathed out.

"Telling me!" the Doctor said enthusiastically. There were both still lying down on my back, pinning me down and making it hard to breathe.

"Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but GET OFF!" I yelled from underneath them. Rose jumped up and the Doctor sat up. I pushed myself up and scowled at them.

"Sorry Viv," Rose said.

"It's alright," I told her, and then I heard laughter coming from the Doctor. "Don't laugh!" I scolded him.

"I wasn't!" He held his hands up in surrender.

"You were in your head." He didn't deny it. Rose laughed before speaking up.

"Did we make it?" she asked.

"I did it! Give the man a medal!" the Doctor declared. I rolled my eyes at him and his ego. "Earth, Naples. December 24, 1860." The Doctor stood back, grinning.

"That's so weird. It's Christmas," Rose said, a smile of her own forming on her face. The Doctor held out a hand, gesturing to the door.

"All yours," he said.

"But it's like… Think about it, though. Christmas, 1860, happens once, just once, and then it's gone, it's finished, it'll never happen again." The Doctor nodded. "Except for you. You can go back and see the days that are dead and gone. A hundred thousand sunsets ago. No wonder you never stay still," Rose reasoned. I had never thought about it that way. I had a feeling though, that the Doctor didn't stay still for more reasons and bigger reasons then that.

"Not a bad life," he said.

"Better with three," Rose told him with a smile. The Doctor grinned back and she

clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on then!" Rose made a dash for the door.

"Oi, oi, oi! Where do you think you're going?"

"1860," Rose answered like it was obvious.

"Go out there dressed like that, you'll start a riot, Barbarella," the Doctor called after her. "There's a wardrobe through there. First left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, under the stairs, past the bins, fifth door on your left. Hurry up!" Rose immediately obeyed and the Doctor and I watched as she hurried away.

'_You too, Viviana.' _I turned and stared at him.

'_No way in hell! I don't do dresses!'_ The Doctor merely glared at me, but I wasn't backing down without a fight. I hated dresses, and he would have to drag me to that wardrobe if he wanted me to dress up. I furrowed my eyebrows as the Doctor smirked.

"Fantastic idea," he said. I mentally slapped myself for leaving my mind wide open while thinking about that. I backed away from the Doctor as he slowly came towards me.

"Don't you dare," I warned. The Doctor wasn't fazed. He slowly walked towards me and I backed away, maneuvering myself around the TARDIS. The Doctor suddenly lurched forward, making me scream slightly. He lifted me up and slung me over his shoulder.

"Doctor!" I complained, pounding on his back a little bit.

"Blimey, you're light!" he replied. I gave him an incredulous look, but it disappeared as he literally threw me in the air. I cried out before he caught me bridal style and with a grin on his face. I glared at him and fought my way out of his arms. Once I was free, I tried to run for it, but he snatched my wrist and pulled me back towards him. He slung me over his shoulder again and marched through the TARDIS. We reached the room I assumed was the wardrobe and he practically threw open the door. He tossed me off his shoulder and shut the door behind him. I huffed from my spot on the ground, and stared at my shoes. I looked up when I heard a giggle. Rose was standing ten feet from me, an amused look on her face.

"Come on, we can help each other," she said, still laughing. I couldn't help but smile as I stood up. I paused, however, when I fully registered the room. It was large, cluttered, and absolutely filled to the brim with clothing, accessories, and shoes. I shook my head and walked over to Rose. She linked her arm through mine and we began sifting through the clothing. About thirty minutes later, I was finishing my hair, about ready to go back out to meet the Doctor. I finished and looked at myself in a nearby mirror. Well, it could've been worse. It was still a dress, but I didn't look too bad. Rose left, merely a minute ago wearing a magenta dress with a deep purple corset, perfect hair, perfect makeup, and a black, waist length cloak. I walked out of the wardrobe and started walking towards the front of the TARDIS.

"Viviana!" I heard Rose call.

"What?" I called back, playing with my skirt as I walked.

"Your hair better be down or I'll smack you," she threatened playfully. The console came into view and I saw Rose standing there, waiting for me. I blushed and walked towards her slowly, feeling uncomfortable in my outfit. "Doctor," Rose said, looking down. I saw the Doctor's head pop up from under the grate. He followed Rose's gaze, his eyes widening. I looked down at myself again. The royal blue skirt fell to the floor, the black corset had lace and a bow. I wore a floor length black cloak and my hair was down, like Rose wanted, but I did add a white, flower hair comb. I refused to wear makeup, but I now sported a black choker and sapphire earrings. I still wore my Aunt's necklace and my mother's ring.

"Aren't you going to change?" I asked the Doctor before he had a chance to say anything about me.

"I changed my jumper," he said, slightly frustrated, like someone had already asked him that. I looked at Rose, and she was holding back laughter. I smirked, realizing that Rose had asked him the same question. "Right then, let's be off," the Doctor announced. The Doctor made to get up, but Rose stopped him.

"You, stay there. You've done this before. This is mine," she declared, running out the door. I saw were pause and look at the ground, before slowly stepping out.

'_You look very beautiful, you know.'_ I blushed at the Doctor's compliment. '_You should dress up more often.'_

'_Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm not dressing up again until you do.'_ I walked past the Doctor with a smirk, ignoring his "never going to happen" look. I stepped out after Rose, the snow crunching beneath my heeled, lace up boots.

"Ready for this?" the Doctor asked coming to stand in between us. Rose and I smiled and he held out an arm to each of us. Rose and I laced our arms through his. "Here we go. History." With big smiles on our faces, the three of us set off down the road.

Horse drawn carriages raced past us, choirs could be heard, and children were running through the street. I smiled at the sight, the cold wind not even bothering me. I don't even know why I bothered with the cloak, I was supposed to be immune to extreme cold. The three of us looked up at the buildings around us. The Doctor suddenly rushed off, dragging me with him. Rose let her arm slip out of his for a minute before catching up to us. The Doctor reached into his pocket, paid a man, and took a newspaper.

"I got the flight a bit wrong," he sighed.

"I don't care," Rose said, still in awe with everything.

"It's not 1860, it's 1869," the Doctor continued.

"I don't care."

"And it's not Naples."

"I don't care."

"It's Cardiff." The Doctor folded up the newspaper and I let go of his arm, just walking beside him. I didn't notice Rose stop in her tracks before catching up to us. The three of us continued walking, until a scream sounded out.

"That's more like it," the Doctor said with a grin. Honestly, that man lived for trouble. Rose and I exchanged a look before darting after him. The police started blowing their whistles and people poured out of the particular building. We made our way inside and I saw that it was a theatre. I pushed through the people, and looked up, seeing what they were running from. Light blue… forms… apparitions… ghosts, were zooming around the theatre. I saw the old woman, the blue light coming from her mouth. Her whole body was glowing and a shiver ran up my spine.

"Fantastic!" the Doctor breathed out. The Doctor ran off but Rose and I stayed put, not quite sure what to do.

"Oi! Leave her alone!" Rose yelled. I followed her gaze and saw two people practically dragging the old woman away. Neither of them were cops.

"We'll get them!" I called to the Doctor.

"Be careful!" he called back as we weaved our way through the people, trying to get to the old woman. She looked so weak and sickly, and I highly doubt she knew what was happening. We eventually made our way outside and ran to the hearse where the lady was being put in the back.

"What are you doing?" Rose demanded.

"Oh, it's a tragedy, miss!" A young woman exclaimed. Rose and I glared at her. "Don't worry yourself. Me and the master will deal with it." She was obviously hiding something, meaning I wasn't going anywhere. "Fact is, this poor lady has been taken with a brain fever. We have to get her to the infirmary." Rose and I pushed our way past the woman and I looked down at her. I hesitantly felt for a pulse, shaking my head at Rose when I felt none.

"She's cold. She's dead. Oh, my God, what did you do to her!" Rose demanded.

"What happened?" I nearly yelled at the woman. Something was wrong, something about this situation was completely wrong. The old woman was alive not five minutes ago, and here she was, stone cold dead. Neither Rose nor I noticed the old man come up and smother Rose's face with a cloth. I tried to cry out, but the woman put a hand over my mouth and held me against her, keeping me from running. Rose struggled against the man, but soon, she fell limp. My eyes widened as the man approached me, and smothered me also. I tried not to breathe in the chemical, but my shock and panic worked against me. My world turned black.

~)8(~

I felt myself coming out of the strange dream. Then I saw where I was and I sighed. I knew it was too good to be true. It was Christmas of 1869. The Doctor, Rose, and I were in Cardiff, Wales. We had seen panic rising at a theatre and went to investigate. Rose and I followed these two people carrying off an old woman after witnessing ghosts flying around the theatre. I remembered the smelly rag that knocked me and Rose out.

"Christmas, 1800's, ghosts. The only thing missing is Charles Dickens," I muttered aloud. I felt Rose stirring beside me on the table. I looked down at her as she woke up. She and I looked around silently before a strange noise filled the air. A high whistling and rushing sound was filling the room. Rose didn't think anything of it, but I looked to the side. There was a wooden coffin, and the same, ghost blue light from the theatre was emitting from it. My eyes widened and I jumped off the table before seeing a young man sit up in the coffin.

"Rose…" I said quietly. She looked up at me, still dazed. The young man started moaning and Rose whipped around, much more awake now.

"Viv…" she said nervously, getting off the table she and I were placed on. "Are you alright?" Rose asked the man.

"It's okay. We're not going to hurt you," I assured him. I was afraid of him, but that didn't mean he wasn't afraid of us. He was looking at us intently, and I got the strange feeling that he wasn't afraid of us.

"You're kidding me, yeah? You're just kidding," Rose said. I had a feeling that she was trying to convince herself that we weren't staring at a zombie. The man started getting out of the coffin. "You are kidding me, aren't you?"

"Rose…" I said again. The man was starting to walk towards us now.

"Okay, not kidding!" Rose declared before we both bolted towards the door. Rose and I reached it, only to find it locked. Despite this, Rose and I pulled on the door. I looked back, seeing the young man slowly coming towards us. Then, I saw the old woman from the theatre sit up from inside the other coffin.

"Okay, we need to get out of here, now!" I told her. Rose followed my gaze and cried out, pushing herself back against the door. I followed her example, far too scared to do anything right now. I knew that both of us needed to calm down and think, but it wasn't working out very well for either of us. Rose suddenly picked up a vase, tossing down the flowers in it, and threw it at the two people. It hit the man right in the chest and he stumbled back. We turned back to the door while he was distracted and the woman was balancing herself from getting out of the coffin.

"Let us out! Open the door!" Rose yelled.

"Someone! Please! Let us out!" I cried. '_Doctor… Please help us.'_ I called out to him, hoping that he would come. Rose and I pulled on the door, but it still wouldn't budge. I looked over my shoulder and immediately wished I hadn't. The two were slowly walking towards us, emotionless and moaning. Rose and I turned back to pulling and pounding on the door, all while yelling and calling for help. I felt myself being grabbed around the shoulders and waist and I cried out. The man's hand immediately covered my mouth, muffling my screams. The woman helped the man restrain me and they dragged me back into the middle of the room.

"Viviana!" Rose yelled. I heard a crash, and looked over to see the Doctor had bust the door down.

"I believe this is my dance," he declared while walking over to me. I would've laughed with relief if I wasn't so scared still. The Doctor pulled me out of the man's arms, not taking his eyes off the two. He pulled me slightly behind him, keeping a protective arm around my waist. I didn't even pay attention as the unfamiliar man started talking about how this must've all be a prank.

"No, the dead are walking," the Doctor informed him. I was still breathing heavily and getting my nerves down as the Doctor turned to me.

"Hi," he said with a grin. I couldn't help and smile back.

"Hi."

"Hi," he said to Rose.

"Hi. Who's your friend?" she asked.

"Charles Dickens," he replied nonchalantly. My eyes widened. This situation couldn't get any more cliché. Rose looked stunned.

"Okay," she merely said.

"My name's the Doctor," he said turning to the young man and older woman. "Who are you, then? What do you want?"

"Failing! Open the rift, we're dying," the young man spoke up. His voice was being echoed by a much higher one. It almost sounded like a child. "Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us." The two leaned back, the ghostly blue light leaving their mouths accompanied by a shrill scream. My blood ran cold and I felt the Doctor's grip tighten on my waist, making me blush. Rose's hand found mine and gripped it tightly. I gripped her hand just as tightly and watched the strange occurrence. A few seconds later, the two dropped to the ground, unmoving, cold, and dead.

~)8(~

"First of all, you drug us, then you kidnap us, and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wander, you dirty old man!" Rose yelled at Mr. Sneed, the man who kidnapped us. Gwyneth, the woman who helped him, was serving tea now that we were all downstairs and away from all the dead people.

"Seriously! Don't you dare ever come near me again. I felt your hand on my chest," I scolded him.

"Then you lock us in a room full of zombies!" Rose continued. I saw the Doctor in the corner of the room, looking highly amused. I got up and moved towards him as Rose and Mr. Sneed continued yelling at each other.

"Sorry for disappearing on you," I told him quietly, so we weren't overheard.

"It wasn't your fault. Did he really feel you two up?" he asked. I blushed just thinking about it.

"Yes," I grumbled. I hid a smile as I heard something like a growl emit from the Doctor, as if he was thinking 'no one touches my companions.'

"Why didn't you answer me? I called you and you didn't reply," the Doctor said seriously.

"I didn't hear you. I was probably unconscious at the time. You did hear me though, right?" I asked him. The Doctor nodded. "Any idea what's going on?"

"No." I sighed, expecting that answer.

"It's not my fault! It's this house!" Mr. Sneed suddenly yelled at Rose. The Doctor and I halted our quiet conversation. We stared at Mr. Sneed. So were Rose, Gwyneth, and Dickens.

"It always has a reputation," Mr. Sneed continued. "Haunted. But I never had much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs…the, um, the dear departed started getting restless."

"Tommyrot," Dickens declared. I rolled my eyes. Of course he would be a skeptic.

"You witnessed it! Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang onto scraps…" My attention was torn from Mr. Sneed and Dickens when Gwyneth approached us.

"Two sugars, sir. Just how you like it," she said handing the Doctor some tea. "And your preference, miss. Coffee, black, two sugars." I took the drink hesitantly. I hadn't told her that I liked coffee more than tea. Judging by the look on the Doctor's face, he hadn't told her that he liked two sugars in his tea. Gwyneth walked off, missing the stunned and questioning looks we were giving her.

"Oh, Charles, you were there," the Doctor said, coming back into the conversation. He was still in denial that the dead were walking.

"I saw nothing but an illusion," Dickens insisted.

"If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time, just shut up," the Doctor told him. I almost laughed at the offended look on Dickens's face. "What about the gas?" the Doctor asked turning to Mr. Sneed and Gwyneth.

"That's new, sir. I never seen anything like that," Mr. Sneed replied.

"It's getting stronger," I realized. The Doctor nodded.

"The rift's getting wider," the Doctor continued, "and something's sneaking through."

"What's a rift?" Rose asked. I looked at the Doctor, waiting for him to explain, even though I knew what a rift was. The knowledge my family had given me was really helping me to understand what the Doctor said. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as the Doctor looked at me expectantly. Then, my eyes widened, realizing he wanted me to explain.

"It's a weak point in time and space. It's a connection between this place and another." Seeing the confused look on Rose's face, I put it simpler. "Think of it like a door. We're on one side, those things are on the other. They want the door to open, so they can come over here." Rose nodded and smiled, getting it.

"That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time," the Doctor added.

"That's how I got the house so cheap," Mr. Sneed realized, "stories going back generations." I heard a door open and I looked in time to see Dickens leaving the room. "Echoes in the dark, queer songs in the air. And this feeling, like a shadow passing over your soul," Mr. Sneed continued dramatically. "Mind you, truth be told, it's been good for business, just what people expect from a gloomy old trade like mine." After a few more minutes, the Doctor left the room, probably to go investigate further, and Rose and I decided to help Gwyneth.

"Please misses, you shouldn't be helping, it's not right," Gwyneth protested.

"Don't be daft. Sneed works you to death," Rose replied. Rose and I stood back as Gwyneth began to work, ready to jump in when she needed us.

"How much do you get paid?" Rose inquired. Gwyneth hesitated.

"Eight pounds a year, miss." Rose's jaw dropped, but I smiled. I knew that was a lot for someone like Gwyneth.

"How mu-"

"Oh, Gwyneth, that's wonderful!" I cut Rose off.

"I know! I would've been happy with six!" Gwyneth agreed.

"So, did you even go to school, or what?" I almost face-palmed at Rose's rudeness. And people thought I was blunt.

"Of course I did. What do you think I am, an urchin? I went every Sunday, nice and proper," Gwyneth replied, obviously offended and trying to defend herself.

"That's not what she meant. Rose didn't mean any offense, Gwyneth. It's just that school is very different where she comes from, and it's very, very different where I come from," I told her gently.

"Are you American, miss?" she asked me. I nodded.

"I am, and you can just call me Viviana, Gwyneth."

"You only went once a week?" Rose asked.

"To be honest, I hated every second," Gwyneth told us. I smiled and Rose laughed.

"Me, too!" Rose laughed out. The three of us laughed. "Viviana here is all smart and everything. She probably loved school," Rose told Gwyneth like they were sharing a secret. My jaw dropped in mock offense.

"Unlike you, I wasn't popular. I was a part of the loser-squad. In fact, I was below the loser-squad. I hated school," I laughed out. The three of us giggled even more.

"Don't tell anyone… But one week I didn't go and I ran down the heath, all on my own," Gwyneth confessed quickly and with a giggle.

"I did plenty of that. I used to go down to the shops with my mate, Shareen. And we used to go and look at boys." Gwyneth stopped laughing when Rose said this.

"Well, I don't know much about that, miss." She suddenly turned back to her work.

"Oh, come on, times haven't changed that much," Rose urged. "I bet you've done the same."

"I don't think so, miss."

"You can tell us, Gwyneth. It's just us girls," I assured her.

"I bet you got your eye on someone," Rose said knowingly.

"I suppose, there is one lad," Gwyneth admitted after a few seconds. I smiled and giggled. I had always been a romantic sap. "The butcher's boy, he comes by every Tuesday. Such a lovely smile on him." Rose and I were positively beaming right now.

"I like a nice smile," Rose gushed. Gwyneth was beaming, and I could see just how much she liked this boy. It made my heart melt. "Good smile, nice bum." Gwyneth froze, looking very uncomfortable.

"Well, I have never heard the like!"

"Ask him out. Give him a cup of tea or something, that's a start," Rose insisted.

"Is that how you and Mickey happened? Did you ask him out, give him a cup of tea, or something?" I teased. Rose blushed but suddenly smirked.

"So, Viviana? What about you and the Doctor?" she asked me.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." I looked at her incredulously. There went my theory about her fancying the Doctor.

"There is nothing between me and the Doctor. Why would you think there was?" I asked her. To my surprise, Rose and Gwyneth looked at each other before giggling. My confusion only increased.

"I saw the way he was looking at you," Rose giggled out, all while raising her eyebrows suggestively.

"Mind out of the gutter, Tyler," I scolded playfully, putting aside any thought of the Doctor.

"I swear it's the strangest thing, misses," Gwyneth started, looking at Rose and I. "You've got all the clothes and the breeding, but you talk like some sort of wild things." Rose and I looked at each other before shrugging.

"Maybe we are," Rose answered, not at all offended. "Maybe that's a good thing. You need a bit more in your life than Mr. Sneed." Gwyneth frowned.

"Oh, now, that's not fair. He's not bad, old Sneed," Gwyneth defended her master. "He was very kind to take me in because I lost my mum and dad to the flu when I was 12." I looked away, knowing exactly how she felt.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rose said, looking awkward.

"Thank you, miss. But I'll be with them again, one day. Sitting with them in paradise. I shall be so blessed. They're waiting for me," Gwyneth said. I couldn't help but smile at the woman. She was just so full of hope and spirit. "Maybe your dad's up there too, waiting for you, miss. And your parents, aunt, and grandfather." My smile fell, and Rose froze. How did Gwyneth know about my family and Rose's dad?

"Maybe," Rose and I said at the same time, looking at her weirdly.

"Um, who told you that he was dead?" Rose asked. Gwyneth looked uncomfortable.

"I don't know, must've been the Doctor." Gwyneth turned back to the dishes, obviously wanting to avoid the question and topic.

"My father died years back," Rose said sadly.

"I never knew my parents. Aunt Maggie died when I was 10 and Grandpapa died a year ago. I was only 18. I had been 18 a couple months, but still," I sighed.

"You've been thinking about them lately. More than ever." It wasn't a question. Gwyneth said this like she already knew it was true.

"Suppose so," Rose replied. "How do you know about all this?" Rose was getting suspicious, and if I was honest, so was I. The Doctor wouldn't reveal personal information like that to Gwyneth. I doubt he had really even talked to her.

"Mr. Sneed says I think too much," Gwyneth informed us. "I'm all alone down here. I bet you've got dozens of servants, haven't you, misses?" I wrinkled my nose in disgust, thinking about making someone be my servant.

"I live on my own," I said.

"No, no servants where I'm from," Rose said with a laugh.

"And you've come such a long way. Both of you," Gwyneth said seriously.

"What makes you think so?" Rose inquired. Gwyneth leaned forward, looking both of us dead in the eye.

"You're from London. I've seen London in drawings, but never like that, all those people rushing about. Half-naked, for shame," Gwyneth said. Rose and I didn't take our eyes off her, but I knew we were thinking the same thing. How did she know this? Gwyneth looked scandalized as she continued. "And the noise… And the metal boxes racing past… And the birds in the sky… No… No, they're metal as well." My eyes widened, as I realized she was talking about cars and planes. Gwyneth looked stunned, even a little frightened now. "Metal birds with people in them. People are flying. And you two, you've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. The darkness. The big bad wolves." Gwyneth stumbled back as Rose and I shared stunned looks. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, misses."

"It's okay, Gwyneth," I reassured as I put a hand on her shoulder. She looked at me gratefully.

"I can't help it. Ever since I was a little girl, my mum said I had the sight. She told me to hide it," Gwyneth rushed out.

"But it's getting stronger." Rose, Gwyneth, and I jumped at the sound of a deep voice. I turned and saw the Doctor in the doorway. "More powerful. Is that right?"

"All the time, sir," Gwyneth stumbled out. "Every night, voices in my head.

"You grew up on top of the rift. You're part of it," the Doctor explained. "You're the key."

"I tried to make sense of it, sir. Consulted with spiritualists, table-rappers, all sorts." Gwyneth sounded near tears and I put an arm around her shoulder.

"Well, that should help. You can show us what to do," the Doctor said.

"What to do where, sir?" she asked.

"We're going to have a séance." My eyebrows rose as I took in the Doctor's serious tone.

'_Yes, a séance, Viviana.' _

'_Really? What do you think that is going to accomplish?'_

'_I'm hoping she can help us figure out what's going on. I have a feeling these aren't just ghosts.' _

'_Well of course they're not, ghosts don't exist. I just have a bad feeling about all of this. Whatever those things are, they're trouble.' _The Doctor didn't reply as we made our way through the house. Fifteen minutes later, we were ready.

"Come we must all join hands," Gwyneth began. Dickens suddenly stood up.

"I can't take part in this," he declared. I rolled my eyes. Who knew Charles Dickens could be one of the most pathetic men ever?

"Humbug?" the Doctor piped up on my right. "Come on. Open mind."

"This is precisely the cheap mummery I strive to unmask. Séances! Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeeze box concealed between the knees. This girl knows nothing." I glared at Dickens when he said this. He caught my eye and visibly gulped. I was always good at giving death glares. I saw Gwyneth look down and I grabbed her hand. I gave her a small smile and she squeezed my hand gratefully.

"Now, don't antagonize her. I love a happy medium," the Doctor said with a grin.

"I can't believe he just said that," Rose muttered, catching my eye.

"I know," I muttered back with a nod. Gwyneth and Rose giggled.

"Come on, we might need you," the Doctor said seriously to Dickens. The author looked uncomfortable, but he sat back down. He took Rose's and Gwyneth's hands while I grasped Gwyneth's other hand and the Doctor's.

"Now, Gwyneth. Reach out," the Doctor told her. Gwyneth's faced morphed into a look of seriousness and concentration.

"Speak to us," she called. "Are you there? Spirits, come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden." Broken up and far away voices started sounding.

"Can you hear that?" Rose asked.

"Nothing can happen. This is sheer folly," Dickens insisted. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Look at her," Rose told him.

"I see them!" Gwyneth declared. She was staring at the ceiling and her grip was very tight on my hand. "I feel them!" The blue light began to swirl around the room. The whispers and voices didn't cease, making chills run up my spine.

"What's it saying?" Rose demanded.

"It can't get through the rift," the Doctor and I muttered at the same time.

"Gwyneth, it's not controlling you. You're controlling it. Look deep down, let them through," the Doctor commanded gently.

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. Just believe it. I have faith in you, Gwyneth," the Doctor told her.

"_We_ have faith in you," I corrected.

"Make the link," the Doctor requested. Gwyneth looked so pained, and her face dropped. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, but her face was emotionless and stoic.

"Yes," she breathed out. The blue light rushed behind her, coming up and forming into an eerie silhouette. A few more blank forms appeared behind it. I stared at it, neutral on the outside, but freaking out on the inside. This was wrong, something was wrong. I just knew it.

"Great God," Mr. Sneed breathed out. "Spirits from the other side!"

"The other side of the universe," the Doctor said.

"Pity us! Pity the Gelth!" the silhouette spoke. It was the voice from earlier, the one that had spoken through the young man, the child's voice. It was echoed by Gwyneth's voice. "There is so little time. Help us!"

"What do you want us to do?" the Doctor asked.

"The rift. Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge," the Gelth said cryptically.

"What for?" the Doctor questioned.

"We are so very few. The last of our kind. We face extinction," the Gelth explained. I felt the Doctor's hand tense and I squeezed it reassuringly, knowing he was thinking about his people. He gave me a small smile before turning back to the Gelth.

"Why, what happened?"

"Once we had a physical form, like you. But then the war came."

"What war?" I asked.

"The Time War." I froze and the Doctor tensed again. Rose and I shared a look as the Gelth began to talk again. "The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged. Invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state."

"So that's why you need the corpses," the Doctor and I realized at the same time.

"We want to stand tall. To feel the sunlight. To live again. We need a physical form and your dead are abandoned. They go to waste. Give them to us," the Gelth demanded.

"But we can't," Rose spoke up.

"Why not?" the Doctor questioned.

"It's not… I mean, it's not…" I knew what Rose was getting at. I felt the same way. Something about this was off, and I didn't like it.

"Not decent? Not polite? It could save their lives," the Doctor said.

"Open the rift. Let the Gelth through," they continued as Rose glared at the Doctor. "We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth!" The Gelth disappeared back into the gas lamps on the wall and Gwyneth slumped forward.

"All true," Dickens breathed out while Rose rushed over to make sure Gwyneth was all right. "It's all true." Rose and I exchanged concerned looks before lying Gwyneth down. Rose went to go fetch some things and I turned to the Doctor.

"Who the hell are the Gelth?" I asked.

"No idea," he replied with a shrug.

"So you're willing to just help these things out, without knowing anything about them?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. The Doctor nodded immediately.

"Why aren't you?" he asked me. I froze, not really wanting to tell him what I felt, but I did anyway.

"Something's off. I don't know what, but I don't trust them."

"I thought you off all people here would understand why I'm doing this. I can't save my people, or yours, and that hurts. But I can at least try to save them." The Doctor looked so pained talking about his people. "Can you see it? The war?" I looked up at him, knowing what he was asking.

"Yes," I whispered. "I have never seen such hate and bloodshed. I can see the evil that came with the war, the fighting, and the deaths. I can see everything." The Doctor's urged me to say something more. "I can't say that I understand the pain that you went through because that would mean lying through my teeth, but I have a similar pain. When you told me that I wasn't human, I thought that maybe, just maybe, I had more family. That there would be someone else out there and that I wasn't alone. Then you told me that I was the last, and I felt my world imploding. I was weak, in pain, I didn't know what was going on with me, and I learned that I had no one. I learned that I was completely alone."

"What about Rose?" the Doctor asked me. I gave him a sad look.

"She has her mother and boyfriend to return to," I told him. He nodded. "I understand why you want to do this, why you want to save the Gelth. I just don't think it's going to end the way any of us expect. I don't have a good feeling about this." Not waiting for the Doctor to reply, I turned to Rose, who had returned with supplies, and helped her with Gwyneth. I felt bad for the woman, she was so kind, and she shouldn't have to save the Gelth all by herself. None of this should've happened to her. She deserved a much better life. After a few minutes, Gwyneth began to wake up.

"It's all right. Just you sleep," Rose told her gently.

"But my angels, miss!" Gwyneth protested, starting to get up. "They came, didn't they? They need me."

"They do need you, Gwyneth. You're their only chance of survival," the Doctor said from behind us. I glared at him. I knew that he wanted to save the Gelth, but he didn't have to put it all on Gwyneth right away.

"I told you, leave her alone," Rose spat at him. "She's exhausted and she's not fighting your battles. Now drink this," Rose told Gwyneth. The Doctor sighed at Rose and gave me a pleading look. I merely shook my head. I wasn't getting involved in the Doctor's and Rose's fight.

"But what did you say, Doctor? Explain it again," Mr. Sneed said. "What are they?"

"Aliens," the Doctor replied bluntly.

"Like, foreigners, you mean?" Mr. Sneed asked, trying to understand.

"Pretty foreign yeah, from up there." The Doctor pointed up, towards the sky.

"Brecon?"

"Close. And they've been trying to get through from Brecon to Cardiff, but the road's blocked. Only a few can get through and even then they're weak," the Doctor explained. "They can only test drive the bodies for so long. Then they have to revert to gas and hide in the pipes."

"Which is why they need the girl?" Dickens asked.

"They're not having her," Rose said firmly.

"But she can help," the Doctor argued. "Living on the rift, she's become part of it. She can open it up, make the bridge, and let them through."

"Incredible. Ghosts that aren't ghosts," Dickens said, "but beings from another world, who can only exist in our realm by inhabiting cadavers."

"Good system. It might work," the Doctor said. Rose looked at him, incredulous.

"You can't let them run around inside dead people!" she protested.

"Why not? It's like recycling," the Doctor argued. I rolled my eyes at the two of them.

"Seriously though, you can't"

"Seriously though, I can."

"But it's just wrong!" "Those bodies were living people. We should respect them, even in death." The Doctor looked over at Rose, thoroughly annoyed with her.

"Do you carry a donor card?" Rose paused.

"It's different, that's…"

"It is different, yeah." I resisted the urge to yell at the two of them. I didn't exactly agree with the Doctor, but Rose fighting him was pointless. He was unbelievably stubborn. "It's a different morality. Get used to it, or go home," the Doctor threatened. Rose didn't reply. "You heard what they said, time's short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last of the Gelth could be dying." The Doctor's tone softened.

"I don't care, they're not using her," Rose said shaking her head.

"Shut up! For the love of God, just shut up! Both of you!" I yelled. They immediately quieted and the whole room was looking at me. "Look at you two, fighting like little kids, again. Gwyneth is a person, not a thing. She can think for herself and make her own decisions. If she wants to help, then fine, but if she doesn't, you can't make her." I gave the Doctor a pointed look. I turned to Gwyneth, ignoring the looks everyone else was giving me. "I can honestly say that I'm not comfortable letting those things through. Rifts are dangerous, there could be more than just the Gelth on the other side. Also, we know next to nothing about them. I don't want them here, walking around in the bodies of our dead, but it's your decision, and I will stand by you whatever you decide to do." Gwyneth looked at me gratefully, and I was surprised to see tears swimming in her eyes.

"Oh, your highness," I tensed slightly when she said this, but relaxed when she took my hand. "Such a kind soul." Gwyneth leaned forward and wrapped me in a hug, whispering a 'thank you' in my ear.

"You don't understand what's going on," Rose protested, glaring at me a little bit. I ignored her and took Gwyneth's hand.

"You would say that, miss, because that's very clear inside your head, that you think I'm stupid," Gwyneth said knowingly. I squeezed her hand, letting her know that I didn't think that, and she squeezed it back.

"That's not fair," Rose started.

"It's true though. Things might be very different where you're from, but here and now, I know my own mind, and the angels need me." Rose didn't reply. "Doctor? What do I have to do?" Gwyneth asked, a determined look on her face. The Doctor looked at me for a brief moment before replying.

"You don't have to do anything."

"They've been singing to me since I was a child. Sent by my mum on a holy mission, so tell me." I sighed, knowing there was no way to talk Gwyneth out of this.

"We need to find the rift," the Doctor said after a few seconds. "This house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than any other. Mr. Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house?" the Doctor asked.

"The place where the most ghosts have been seen," I elaborated, seeing the confused look on his face.

"That would be the morgue," he answered after a moment's thought. Of course it would be the morgue, that's probably the creepiest part of the house.

"No chance you were going to say gazebo, is there?" I smiled at Rose; she was thinking the same thing as me. She smiled back and took my free hand, since my other one was still holding Gwyneth's. The six of us got up and made our way towards the morgue. The six of us quickly got there. It was bleak, cold, gray, and very scary with the dead bodies on the tables. Rose grabbed my hand and I squeezed it. She was as uncomfortable as I was.

"Huh! Talk about Bleak House," the Doctor said aloud.

"The thing is, Doctor, the Gelth don't succeed," Rose suddenly said, "'cause I know they don't. I know for a fact that corpses weren't walking around in 1869."

"Yes, but time and history can be changed, Rose," I said softly.

"Time's in a flux, changing every second. Your cozy little world can be rewritten like that." The Doctor snapped his fingers to emphasize his point. "Nothing is safe. Remember that. Nothing."

"Talk about Mr. Brooding," I whispered in Rose's ear. She giggled softly and I smiled. I knew the Doctor was determined to save the Gelth, but he didn't need to be so rude to Rose about it and the rules of time.

"Doctor, I think the room is getting colder," Dickens said. I froze, realizing he was right. The Gelth were coming.

"Here they come," Rose muttered as whispers and voices filled the morgue. The blue light started coming from the lamps and swirled around us.

"You've come to help!" the Gelth from earlier cried as it formed. "Praise the Doctor! Praise him!"

"Promise you won't hurt her!" Rose yelled at the Gelth.

"Hurry! Please! So little time. Pity the Gelth!" I furrowed my eyebrows, noticing how the Gelth ignored Rose. The Doctor stepped forward.

"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer. Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?" the Doctor said.

"My angels!" Gwyneth cried before the Gelth could reply. "I can help them live.'

"Okay, where's the weak point?" the Doctor asked.

"Here, beneath the arch," the Gelth said. I looked over at Gwyneth. My bad feelings had only increased since we came down here. Something was definitely wrong, but I couldn't prove it. It frustrated me to no end. Gwyneth moved forward and stood underneath the stone arch and the blue Gelth.

"You don't have to do this," Rose rushed out.

"My angels," Gwyneth said putting her hands on Rose's face. I couldn't stand it anymore, and went up to stand in front of Gwyneth.

"Are you sure about this? I don't want you to get hurt," I said sadly. Gwyneth smiled and touched my face.

"Oh, your highness," Gwyneth repeated. "It has been an honor." I furrowed my eyebrows, not knowing what that meant, but before I could reply, the Gelth spoke.

"Establish the bridge. Reach out to the void. Let us through!"

"Yes!" Gwyneth obeyed. "I can see you. I can see you, come!"

"Bridgehead establishing," the Gelth said.

"Come to me!" Gwyneth called. "Come to this world. Poor lost souls."

"It has begun. The bridge is made." Gwyneth's mouth opened and a light began to flow out of it. "She has given herself to the Gelth!" More blue silhouettes flew out of Gwyneth's mouth and swirled around the room.

"Rather a lot of them, eh?" Mr. Sneed pointed out. I noticed he was right. I thought they were supposed to be very few in numbers. My eyes widened as I looked back towards Gwyneth. This was wrong, something was happening.

"The bridge is open. We descend," the Gelth continued. Suddenly, its eyes began to glow pink and a fire raged inside of it. A low sound emitted from it and Rose grasped my hand tightly. I gripped hers just as hard, feeling dread and guilt swell inside of me. Poor Gwyneth.

"The Gelth will come through in force." The Gelth's voice was incredibly low, not at all like a child's anymore. Shivers ran up my spine as I looked at the fiery creature.

"You said that you were few in number!" Dickens cried.

"A few billion. And all of us in need of corpses." The corpses in the morgue began to sit up as Gelth entered them. I hadn't realized it at the time, but the Doctor's arm had gone around my waist. Rose and I were still clutching each other's hand tightly. Mr. Sneed stepped up to Gwyneth before anyone could stop him.

"Now, Gwyneth, stop this," he pleaded. "Listen to your master! This has gone far enough. Stop dabbling, child, and leave these things alone, I beg you."

"Gwyneth," I whispered, my eyes filling with tears. Something told me that she couldn't stop this, that the Gelth were too strong.

"Mr. Sneed, get back!" Rose suddenly cried. I turned in time to see one of the dead people from the tables grab onto Mr. Sneed. He struggled and all of us backed up. I ripped myself from Rose's and the Doctor's grasps as I stepped away. I watched with wide eyes as a blue light gathered at Mr. Sneed's face before a Gelth entered his body. He fell to the ground slowly before he raised his head. I could tell it wasn't Mr. Sneed anymore and backed up even further.

"I think it's going a little bit wrong," the Doctor stated.

"I have joined the legions of the Gelth," Mr. Sneed spoke. His voice was echoed by another and a shiver ran up my spine. "Come, march with us."

"Oh, Glory," I heard Dickens breathe out.

"We need bodies. All of you, dead," Mr. Sneed said. He stood up and began to slowly walk towards us. "The human race, dead."

"Gwyneth, stop them! Send them back, now!" the Doctor yelled. His face was neutral but his voice revealed his fear. Mr. Sneed began backing Rose, the Doctor, and I up.

"Four more bodies. Convert them!" the Gelth above Gwyneth commanded. "Make them vessels for the Gelth!"

"Doctor, I can't. I'm sorry!" I heard Dickens say. "This new world of yours, it's too much for me." I barely heard him as the Doctor opened a gate and shoved us inside. "I'm so…" He didn't finish. Several bodies were now coming towards us. Shrieking and moans filled the room, making my fear increase.

"Give yourself to glory," Mr. Sneed and the other Gelth said. "Sacrifice your lives to the Gelth."

"I trusted you! I pitied you!" the Doctor yelled.

"We don't want your pity! We want this world and all its flesh."

"Not while I'm alive," the Doctor told them, deadly serious.

"Then live no more." The bodies and Mr. Sneed were tugging and hanging on the bars of the fence we were behind. Rose grabbed my hand again and I squeezed it reassuringly.

'_You were right. You were right and I didn't listen.'_ I looked over at the Doctor at the sound of his voice in my mind.

'_There was no way we could've known this would happen.'_

'_You warned me. You said something was going on and you were right. I didn't listen. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Viviana.' _I turned to him sharply.

'_I will not let you blame yourself for this! This is not your fault! The only ones to blame here are the Gelth! Don't you dare say otherwise, Doctor! None of what happened was your fault.'_ The Doctor looked at me, hearing the double meaning in my words. Before he had a chance to reply though, Rose spoke up.

"But I can't die. Tell me I can't die," she demanded. The Doctor and I shared uncomfortable looks. "I haven't even been born yet, it's impossible for me to die. Isn't it?" The Doctor and I looked at Rose, not saying anything for a moment.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor eventually said.

"But it's 1869, how can I die now?" Rose asked, sounding panicked. I didn't blame her.

"Time isn't a straight line. It can twist into any shape. You can be born in the 20th century and die in the 19th," the Doctor told her grimly. "And it's all my fault."

'_Don't make me slap some sense into you… literally.'_ The Doctor ignored my threat.

"I brought you here, both of you." Rose turned away from him.

"It's not your fault. I wanted to come," she said.

"What about me? I saw the Fall of Troy. World War Five. I pushed boxes at the Boston Tea Party. Now I'm going to die in a dungeon, in Cardiff!" I almost laughed at the look on the Doctor's face.

"And it's not just dying. We're becoming one of them," Rose pointed out.

"Well aren't you two just bundles of joy," I muttered sarcastically. Rose laughed and the Doctor smiled.

"We go down fighting, yeah?" Rose asked us.

"Yeah," the Doctor answered.

"Together?" Rose asked us.

"Yeah," the Doctor and I said at the same time. Rose tightened her grip on my hand and I felt the Doctor take my other one. I looked up at him.

"I'm so glad I met you," the Doctor said looking at Rose. I looked away from him and at the Gelth.

"Me too," she replied with a small smile.

"And you." the Doctor squeezed my hand, prompting me to look at him. "It's been fantastic. Absolutely fantastic," he told me. I gave him a small smile.

"Yeah, it has." We turned, ready to fight when Dickens came rushing in.

"Doctor! Doctor! Turn off the flame and turn up the gas!" he commanded. "Now fill the room! All of it, now!"

"What are you doing?" the Doctor demanded.

"Turn it all on! Flood the place." Dickens began turning up the gas on the lamps while turning down the flame and it clicked in my head.

"Brilliant, gas," the Doctor realized.

"What, so we choke to death instead?" Rose asked sarcastically.

"Am I correct, Doctor?" Dickens asked. "These creatures are gaseous."

Fill the room with gas it'll draw them out of the host," the Doctor explained. "Suck them into the air like poison from a wound!"

"I hope… oh, Lord!" Dickens said. "I hope that this theory will be validated soon. If not immediately." I watched as nothing seemed to happen. The corpses were still coming.

"Plenty more," the Doctor said. I looked over in time to see the Doctor rip a small pipe off the wall. The smell of gasoline hit my nose and I cringed. The Gelth and corpses immediately began shrieking and groaning. Blue light began to flow from the peoples' mouths. The Doctor quickly opened the gate and we rushed out.

"Gwyneth, send them back! They lied, they're not angels!" the Doctor cried, the three of us running towards her. We stopped as her arms lowered.

"Liars?" she asked, unsure.

"Look at me," the Doctor started. "If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you the strength, now send them back!"

"Can't breathe," Rose choked.

"Charles, get them out!" Dickens came over and began to lead me out, but I jerked away from him.

"I'm not leaving her!" Rose protested.

"They're too strong," Gwyneth said with a dull voice. Her eyes were unseeing and tears filled my eyes as I watched her.

"Rose's and Viviana's world? All those people. None of it will exist unless you send them back through the rift!" the Doctor told her.

"I can't send them back," Gwyneth replied, her voice hard. My heart fell. "But I can hold them. Hold them in this place. Hold them here. Get out." Gwyneth began to reach into her pocket and I had a bad feeling about what it was she was going for. My eyes widened and I began to rush forward as I saw the book of matches.

"You can't!" Rose cried, rushing forward also. The Doctor held both of us back but I was able to fight my way forward.

"Leave this place," Gwyneth said.

"Rose, Viviana, get out, go now!" the Doctor commanded. I ignored him.

"Please Gwyneth, you can't. You deserve so much more, please," I begged, a tear escaping my eye.

"Leave this place, your highness," she merely replied. More tears escaped as I looked into Gwyneth's dead eyes. A realization hit me and I almost collapsed in tears. Gwyneth was already dead. I continued to stare at Gwyneth as Rose struggled against the Doctor behind me. Before I knew it, I was being forced back by the Doctor.

"No," I whispered, not taking my eyes off Gwyneth. The Doctor looked at me sadly. He wiped some stray tears from my face with his thumb before forcing me back. I took one last sad look at Gwyneth before running up the stairs and out of the house. I wiped my face dry before running outside into the snow. Rose immediately wrapped me in a hug. I hugged her back tightly before pulling away.

"Are you all right, child?" Dickens asked me. I nodded at him before turning back to Rose. We shared sad looks but remained silent. Not a minute later, I heard an explosion. I looked back at the house to see it on fire. The windows had broken and the house was engulfed in flames. I helped the Doctor off the ground. I'm pretty sure he wanted to ask if I was all right, but he saw the look on my face. I was holding in my emotion for the time being. Rose and Dickens came up behind us.

"She didn't make it," Rose realized.

"I'm sorry. She closed the rift," the Doctor said.

"At such a cost. The poor child," Dickens breathed out.

"I did try, Rose, but-"

"Gwyneth was already dead," I cut the Doctor off. Rose flinched at my bluntness before looking at me with wide eyes.

"She had been for at least five minutes," the Doctor confirmed.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked.

"We think she was dead from the minute she stood underneath that arch," I said for the Doctor. Rose looked at me. I knew she was about to ask why I didn't tell her so I cut her off. "I didn't know until I talked to her back there."

"But she can't have, she spoke to us," Rose stated, in denial, "she helped us, she saved us. How could she have done that?"

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy," Dickens stated. The three of us stared at him. "Even for you, Doctor."

"She saved the world," Rose said. "A servant girl. No one will ever know." I grabbed her hand.

"We'll know," I told her softly before the four of us watched the burning house. Eventually, the four of us turned and walked back towards the TARDIS in silence.

"Right then, Charlie boy, I've just got to go into my, um, shed," the Doctor said as we stopped in front of the TARDIS. "Won't be long."

"What are you going to do now?" Rose asked Dickens.

"I shall take the mail-coach back to London, quite literally post-haste. This is no time for me to be on my own," Dickens told us. "I shall spend Christmas with my family and make amends to them. After all I've learnt tonight, there can be nothing more vital."

"You've cheered up." the Doctor pointed out.

"Exceedingly," Dickens agreed. "This morning I thought I knew everything in the world. Now I know I've just started. All these huge and wonderful notions, Doctor! I am inspired. I must write about them!"

"Do you think that's wise?" Rose inquired.

"I shall be subtle, at first. The Mystery of Edwin Drood still lacks an ending. Perhaps the killer was not the boy's uncle. Perhaps he was not of this earth!" Dickens brainstormed. "The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Blue Elementals! I can spread the word, tell the truth!"

"Good luck with that," the Doctor said reaching out to shake Dickens's hand. "Nice to meet you, fantastic."

"Bye then, and thanks," Rose said with a smile. She shook his hand before leaning forward and kissing his cheek. Dickens looked flustered.

"It was really nice to meet you, Mr. Charles Dickens. I'm a huge fan," I told him before kissing his cheek. Dickens blushed even more before replying.

"And you, my dear." I smiled. "Thank you. But I don't understand, in what way is this goodbye? Where are you going?" The Doctor, Rose, and I smiled at each other.

"You'll see. In the shed," the Doctor said as moved to go into the TARDIS.

"Upon my soul, Doctor, it's one riddle after another with you. But after all these revelations, there's one mystery you still haven't explained." The three of us paused. "Answer me this… Who are you?" I looked at the Doctor, curious as to what he would say.

"Just a friend. Passing through," he answered after a moment.

"But you have such knowledge of future times," Dickens pressed. "I don't wish to impose on you but I must ask you… My books, Doctor, do they last?" I smiled widely. The Doctor let out a quiet laugh.

"Oh, yes," the Doctor answered with a smile.

"For how long?"

"Forever," the Doctor answered seriously. "Right. Shed. Come on, Rose, Viviana."

"What in the box? All three of you?" Dickens looked scandalized.

"Down, boy," the Doctor scolded playfully. "See you." I gave the writer one last smile before following the Doctor and Rose into the TARDIS.

"Doesn't that change history, if he writes about blue ghosts?" Rose inquired.

"In a week's time, it's 1870," the Doctor said like that explained everything.

"Charles Dickens dies in June of 1870," I told Rose with a sad smile.

"He'll never get to tell his story," the Doctor continued.

"Oh, no. He was so nice," Rose said looking at the monitor. Dickens was standing out there looking at the TARDIS, obviously waiting for something to happen.

"But in your time, he was already dead. We've brought him back to life and he's more alive now than he's ever been. Old Charlie Boy," the Doctor said. "Let's give him one last surprise." I smiled at the Doctor started up the TARDIS. It began whooshing and wheezing and we watched Dickens's face on the monitor. It went from confused to awed to joyful. I smiled as he began laughing. Seconds later, Rose and I walked off towards the wardrobe, wanting to get out of the restricting corsets and infernal skirts.

"So, Viv, we never got to finish our conversation from earlier," Rose said. I looked at her, genuinely confused as I began untying the corset behind a rack of clothes. Rose did the same while rolling her eyes at me. "You and the Doctor."

"There is nothing between me and the Doctor," I said exasperated. She smirked.

"That was some kiss you two shared earlier." I rolled my eyes, trying to keep down a blush.

"That was different. He was saving my life," I told her.

"You're blushing," Rose teased. I turned away and she laughed. "Was he a good kisser?" I didn't answer right away.

"What do you mean?"

"What was he like compared to other guys you've kissed?" Rose asked with a shrug. I didn't answer as I pulled my tank top over my head. Rose's smile fell. "Don't tell me… That was your first kiss?"

"So what if it was?" I didn't look at her as I began to braid my hair.

"Oh, Viv, I'm sorry, I didn't know." I looked up at Rose, seeing she was genuinely sorry. I smiled.

"It's not that big of a deal. It's just a little embarrassing to admit that I'm 19 and I've only been kissed once. And it was only because he was saving my life, not because he liked me." Rose nodded, understanding what I was getting at. "I'm going back to my room," I told her. She nodded again. I put on Grandpapa's hat, slung my jacket over my arm and grabbed my vans before walking from the wardrobe. I soon reached my room and shut the door behind me. Little did I know that the Doctor was sitting on my couch waiting for me.

"We need to talk." I jumped at the sound of his voice before spinning to face him.

"About what?" I asked, a little annoyed. First Rose and now the Doctor.

"About what you said." I sighed.

"You're going to have to be a tad more specific, Doctor." He got up and started pacing.

"How could you say it wasn't my fault?" I sighed and put down my jacket, hat, and shoes.

"I don't believe it was. You did the right thing," I told him honestly. He whirled around and I sat down in Grandpapa's huge armchair. It was big enough for two people, two normal sized people and I loved the smell of its old leather.

"How can you say that?" he demanded. I sighed again.

"Can I speak freely?" I asked. The Doctor's eyebrows raised a fraction but nodded. "The Time Lords were corrupt, power-hungry. They brought their own downfall. The Time War would've destroyed the universe if you didn't stop it. You saved the universe, Doctor. I can't fault you for making the decision no one else could." The Doctor had turned away from me and remained silent. When he finally turned back to me, I was surprised to see tears in the corner of his eyes. He surprised me further by coming and sitting next to me on the chair. I leaned on him slightly as he put an arm around my waist. I blushed as I felt him kiss my temple.

"You sound like Nathaniel," he told me. "Same logic, kindness, same temper," I couldn't help but laugh.

"Aunt Maggie used to say the same thing," I muttered.

"You both have a way with words," the Doctor continued. "Not many people can make me speechless, let alone multiple times."

"Multiple times?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"Yeah. First, you yelled at me and Rose when we were fighting about Mickey and saving the Earth. Then, back at the mansion when Rose and I were fighting about Gwyneth and the Gelth. Then just now."

"Is that a good thing?" The Doctor looked at me. "Is it a good thing that I can make you speechless?"

"It's… refreshing," he told me honestly. I laughed and so did he. Then, I watched as he reached into his jacket pocket. My eyes widened as the Doctor handed me a key, a TARDIS key.

"Are you sure?" I asked. The Doctor merely nodded and I took the key before putting it on the chain on my necklace. The Doctor smiled at me before jumping up.

"Come on." he held out a hand and I took it. Knowing we were getting ready to go somewhere, I grabbed my shoes, jacket, and hat before following him out of my room and towards the front of the TARDIS. I fiddled with the key that now hung from my neck, smiling to myself. Little did I know, the Doctor was smiling at me the whole way.


	5. Chapter 5

**Episode 4: "Aliens of London"**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Migraines on Downing Street**

I followed Rose and the Doctor out of the TARDIS, only to find that we were around the corner from Rose's apartment building. I almost asked what we were doing here, but realized it was a stupid question. Rose obviously wanted to see her mom.

"How long have I been gone?" Rose asked. The Doctor was smirking, leaning against the TARDIS.

"About twelve hours," he answered. Rose and the Doctor laughed but I had a bad feeling. My gut was telling me that it hadn't been twelve hours.

"Right. I won't be long, I just want to see my mum," Rose said walking towards the building.

"What are you going to tell her?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know," Rose said turning back. "I've been to the year five billion and I've only been gone, what? Twelve hours? No, I'll just tell her I spent the night at Shareen's." Rose turned and started walking towards the building again. "Come on, Viv. Mum will want to see you too." I raised my eyebrows before following Rose. We said goodbye to the Doctor before entering the building. As we ran up the stairs, my bad feeling only got stronger. I waved it off though, blaming it on the fact that Jackie was probably going to hound us with questions.

"I'm back! Shareen, she's all upset again," Rose said as we walked into the apartment. "Are you in? So what's been going on? How've you been?" Jackie walked out of the kitchen in a pink robe and a cup of tea. Her face was one of pure awe. This only made the sinking feeling in my gut worse. "What? What's that face for? It's not the first time I've stayed out all night." Jackie's face didn't change as the cup slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor.

"It's you," Jackie breathed out. I stepped back, knowing this was not going to be good.

"Course it's me," Rose replied, not getting the fact that we were probably gone longer than twelve hours.

"Oh, my God, it's you. Oh, my God," Jackie said before engulfing her daughter into a tight hug. I stood back, feeling awkward as Jackie sobbed and Rose shot me confused looks. Then, I saw the missing posters on the table. "And it's you." I looked over in time to feel myself being pulled into a bone-crushing hug by Jackie. I hugged her back, not really knowing how to react or what to say. I heard the door open and saw the Doctor rush in.

"It's not twelve hours, it's twelve months," the Doctor said as I pulled away from Jackie's embrace. "You've been gone a whole year. Sorry!" Rose half glared at the Doctor before Jackie began to check her over.

"Semantics," I said with a shrug. The Doctor laughed and grinned. I smiled back, not really caring that it was a year instead of half a day. I had no family, no friends to worry about me. Rose was a different story. Hours later, I was seated on the couch in the living room, Jackie yelling at Rose and the Doctor looking awkward. A policeman was in the apartment, making the situation even more uncomfortable.

"The hours I sat here, days and weeks and months," Jackie told Rose. "All on my own. I thought you were dead! And where were you? Travelling! What the hell does that mean, travelling? That's no sort of answer." Jackie then turned to the cop. "You ask her, she won't tell me. That's all she says. 'Travelling.'"

"That's what I was doing," Rose said.

"Well, your passport's still in the drawer," Jackie pointed out. The Doctor and I exchanged uncomfortable looks. "It's one lie after another!"

"I meant to phone, I really did. I just… I forgot," Rose said lamely. I knew that the Doctor didn't mean to put her in this situation, and Jackie really wasn't helping by yelling at Rose.

"You weren't any better," Jackie turned on me. I blinked in surprise. "You tell me to look after your stuff and next thing I know, it's all gone!"

"I had it moved. I have a new residence. I thought I left a note, but apparently not. Sorry," I explained. It was the truth, just not the whole truth.

"Were you 'travelling' too?" Jackie spat at me. I got up off the couch, glaring at her.

"I told you I was, Jackie! You are not my guardian, I am not your responsibility. I am an adult and I don't have to check in with you or get your permission to do anything."

"You may not have a family, but that doesn't mean you can let Rose neglect hers!" Jackie yelled. I froze, almost not believing she pulled that on me.

"You're right, I don't have a family," I said sadly. Jackie's eyes widened when she realized what she said but I cut off her apology. "I don't want your apology, Jackie. Don't apologize for stating the truth. But, much like you are not in charge of me, I am not in charge of Rose. Yes, she should've called, and I probably should've made sure that she did, but there's nothing we can do about it now, is there?" Jackie opened her mouth to respond, but closed it, not really sure how to. I turned from her and went to stand by the Doctor.

"Why won't you tell me where you've been?" Jackie wheeled on Rose again.

"Actually, it's my fault," the Doctor stepped in. I mentally face-palmed. He was only going to make matters worse. "I sort of employed Rose as my companion."

"When you say companion, is this a sexual relationship?" the cop asked. I stifled a giggle as Rose and the Doctor both denied that, very quickly and very loudly.

"What about you and Miss Davis," the cop continued. I blushed and the Doctor and I looked at each other. He said no while I shook my head vigorously.

"Then what is it?" Jackie asked, turning the conversation back towards Rose. "Because you, you waltz in here, all charm and smiles, and the next thing I know, Rose vanishes off the face of the Earth!" The Doctor was stunned. "How old are you, then? 40, 45? What did you find her on the internet? Did you go online and pretend you're a doctor?"

"I am a doctor!" the Doctor protested.

"Prove it. Stitch this, mate." Next thing I knew, a loud sound rang through the room and the Doctor's face landed on my shoulder. I glared at Jackie as she stalked off. The Doctor kept his face on my shoulder, moaning in pain. That slap obviously really hurt. I put my arm around his waist and led him from the apartment before Jackie could do any more damage. I didn't really know where we were going but eventually, I found that we were on the roof. The Doctor removed his face from the crook of my neck and I reached up to touch his red cheek. He hissed and recoiled.

"Sorry," I muttered pulling back my hand. "That must've really hurt."

"What about you, are you okay?" I furrowed my eyebrows. "She said some pretty harsh things back there."

"I'm a big girl. I can take a few harsh comments. Do you need some ice?" The Doctor shook his head before leaning against the wall. His face was starting to return to normal color. We stood there in silence before Rose showed up.

"I can't tell her. I can't even begin," Rose said jumping up to sit on the wall. I noticed that she had changed her clothes. "She's never going to forgive me. And I missed a year. Was it good?"

"Middling," the Doctor replied.

"You're so useless," Rose muttered.

"Well, if it's this much trouble, are you going to stay here now?" the Doctor asked her seriously. Rose sighed.

"I don't know," she admitted. I caught the Doctor looking at me, as if silently asking me the same question.

"Can't get rid of me that easily, Doc," I smirked. He half glared at me at the nickname and Rose and I laughed.

"Can't do that to her again, though," Rose stated turning serious again.

"Well, she's not coming with us," the Doctor declared. Rose cracked up.

"No chance!" Rose said still laughing.

"I don't do families."

"She slapped you!"

"900 years of time and space and I've never been slapped by someone's mother," the Doctor said with a disbelieving shake of the head.

"Your face."

"It hurt!"

"You're so gay!" I shook my head at the two of them. "When you say 900 years…" Rose trailed off.

"That's his age," I stated. Rose looked at me with raised eyebrows before turning to the Doctor.

"You're 900 years old?"

"Yep," he said popping the "p". Rose stayed silent for a minute.

"My mum was right you two, that is one hell of an age gap." I looked away from her, not saying anything. The Doctor was silent also. Rose jumped down off the wall. "Every conversation with you just goes mental," Rose said to the Doctor. I looked at him, a look on my face that told him I agreed with Rose. He huffed but didn't disagree. I wasn't really paying attention as Rose went off talking about aliens. The three of us jumped thought and whirled around then a loud horn sounded. The Doctor, Rose, and I watched as a spaceship flew right over our heads and across London. It narrowly missed St. Paul's before it crashed into Big Ben and landed in the Thames.

"Oh, that's just not fair," Rose mumbled as the Doctor and I began to smile at each other. The two of us laughed and high-fived as Rose continued to stare off towards the spaceship. He took my hand and ran off, Rose following behind us. We made our way through London, cars honking and sirens wailing. People flooded the streets and the military was starting to come out, at least it looked like the military. The three of us ran down the street until the Doctor stopped.

"It's blocked off," he observed.

"We're miles from the centre," Rose panted. "The whole city must be gridlocked. The whole of London must be shutting down."

"I know. I can't believe I'm here to see this. This is fantastic!" the Doctor said excitedly.

"Did you know this was going to happen?" Rose asked.

"Nope!"

"Do you recognize the ship?"

"Nope!"

"Do you know why it crashed?"

"Nope!"

"Oh, I'm so glad I got you," Rose muttered sarcastically.

"I bet you are. This is what I travel for, Rose, to see history happening right in front of us," the Doctor said.

"Well let's go and see it," Rose replied. "Never mind the traffic. We got the TARDIS."

"Bad idea," I told her. "There's already one alien ship and the entire city is shutting down because of it. Bringing the TARDIS into the situation will only make matters worse."

"But it looks like a big, blue box. No one's going to notice," Rose reasoned.

"You'd be surprised, an emergency like this," the Doctor said. "They'll be all kinds of people watching. Viviana's right. The TARDIS stays where it is."

"So history's happening and we're stuck here?" Rose asked, sounding thoroughly disappointed.

"Yes, we are," the Doctor replied. Rose and I looked at each other, coming up with the same idea.

"We could do what everyone else does," Rose suggested. "We could watch it on TV." The Doctor looked at her before the three of us rushed off back towards Rose's apartment. The Doctor barged in, ignoring Jackie and immediately turned on the TV. Jackie pulled me aside while Rose went to go watch the news with the Doctor.

"Viviana, I'm so sorry. I overreacted and you were right." Jackie began ranting and I smiled.

"It's all right Jackie, really. Any good mother would've reacted the same way," I told her. I gave her a smile but Jackie's frown only deepened.

"I shouldn't have said anything about your family," she said quietly. I put a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Really, Jackie, it's okay," I said. The woman finally began to smile and I smiled back.

"Want some tea?" she asked.

"That would be nice, thanks," I said with a nod. She smiled again and went into the kitchen to make it. I went to go sit by the Doctor and I noticed for the first time that someone else was in the apartment, probably one of Jackie's friends. They both began talking at the same time and I rolled my eyes.

"Oi! I'm trying to listen!" the Doctor yelled. The women immediately shut up and I turned my attention back to the TV. Jackie handed me my tea and I thanked her. I raised my eyebrows as I heard the reporter say that an alien body had been found. I got another one of my feelings though, telling me that this wasn't what we were expecting. There was something else at work. The Doctor and I leaned forward and I was suddenly made aware that there were more people in the apartment than before. The Doctor and I shook our heads at Jackie as she started gossiping about her new boyfriend. I got up from the arm of the chair the Doctor was sitting on and started rubbing my temples. Between the TV, the talking from the apartment, the phone ringing, my feelings that were telling me something else was going on, and my introvert/Noctic qualities, I was getting a headache. I missed the concerned look that the Doctor gave me as I sat back down, still rubbing my temples.

After a while, I stopped paying attention to anything because my headache was killing me. The only thing that brought my head out of my hands was when I saw the Doctor wrestling the TV remote from a little boy out of the corner of my eye. I stifled a laugh but he heard me and mock glared at me. I only laughed more. Soon after that though, I returned my head to my hands. The headache was getting almost unbearable. There were countless people in the apartment, most of them talking, there were countless phones going off, the Doctor kept changing the channel on the TV, and I was beginning to feel very overwhelmed. My feeling wasn't going away either. I was so out of it that I almost didn't notice when the Doctor got up and left. I quickly followed him from the apartment, Rose on my heels.

"Where do you think you're going?" Rose called after him. The Doctor stopped in his tracks.

"Nowhere," he lied. "It's just a bit human in there for me, even with Viviana. History's just happened and they're talking about where they can buy dodge top-up cards for half price. I'm off on a wander, that's all."

"Right, there's a spaceship on the Thames, and you're just wandering," Rose said knowingly.

"Nothing to do with me, it's not an invasion. That was a genuine crash-landing. Angle of descent, color of the smoke, everything. It was perfect."

"So?"

"So, maybe this is it! First contact. The day mankind officially comes into contact with an alien race," the Doctor said. "I'm not interfering, 'cause you got to deal with this on your own. That's when the human race finally grows up. Just this morning you were tiny and small and made of clay. Now you can expand." The Doctor laughed. "You don't need me, go and celebrate history. Spend some time with your mum." He turned to leave.

"Promise you won't disappear?" Rose asked, looking worried. The Doctor stopped in his tracks again before turning back and patting his pockets.

"Tell you what. TARDIS key," he said pulling out another key and giving it to Rose. She stared at in awe. "About time you had one. See you later."

"What about Viviana?" Rose asked. I smirked and showed her my own key. Rose smiled and walked back into the apartment. The Doctor stayed however, and stared at me.

"You okay?" he asked. I looked at him and nodded.

"Of course." The Doctor gave me a look.

"Mental bond, Viviana. That's a wicked headache you got." I sighed and rubbed my temples.

"I'm a big girl. I can handle a headache," I told him. To my surprise, the Doctor stepped up and began massaging my temples. "Be careful, okay?" I told him after a minute. He paused in his massaging briefly.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not going to come with you. I don't really feel up to going and seeing an alien body." The Doctor had a look on his face that resembled a five year old who was caught by their mother with a hand in the cookie jar.

"How…?"

"Mental bond, Doc." The Doctor scowled at the nickname again and I laughed softly. "Besides, I know you. Grandpapa used to tell me stories about you, remember? You can't resist an opportunity like this." The Doctor looked down, a resigned smile on his face.

"You sure you don't want to come?" he asked. I nodded, which was weird because he was still massaging my temples.

"Yeah. Just be careful. I have a feeling that there's something else going on. I mean, hitting Big Ben? Talk about cliché." The Doctor nodded, but made no move to leave. "God, whatever you are doing feels amazing." The Doctor laughed.

"Just trying to make your headache go away," he said.

"Well, it is working," I said, unconsciously leaning my head into one of his hands. He smiled, but pulled away. He gave me one last smile before turning and walking off. I watched him for a minute or so, feeling my headache slowly returning. I sighed and walked back into the apartment and my headache came back full blast as the noise and presence of so many people hit me. I moaned and rubbed my head before going into Rose's room, hoping it was a little quieter in there than in the main part of the apartment. I buried my head under a pillow, wanting nothing more than for the headache to go away.

~)8(~

"Viviana! The Doctor's gone!" I heard Rose yell. I moaned, but brought my head out from under the pillow. "Dear God, you look awful," she said.

"Thanks," I muttered sarcastically. "And yes, I know the Doctor's gone."

"What?"

"Honestly, Rose, what did you expect? He's not gone for good, but if you had been paying attention, you would know that there was an alien body found. The Doctor went to go check it out." Rose sighed with relief before turning to Mickey, who I hadn't realized was standing next to her.

"I told you he wouldn't leave me. He definitely wouldn't leave her," she told Mickey. He crossed his arms, not believing her. I got up off the bed, put my hat back on, and adjusted my tank top and jacket before walking outside, needing fresh air. Rose, Mickey, and Jackie followed me. Rose ran off towards the place where the TARDIS was parked, Mickey following her. I sighed and ran after them, wanting to make sure they didn't get in a really bad argument. I was completely unaware that Jackie followed.

"Oh, he's dumped you, Rose! Sailed off into space," Mickey gloated. I rolled my eyes at him, he was only making my headache worse. "How does it feel, huh? Now, you are left behind with the rest of us Earthlings. Get used to it!"

"He would've said," Rose shot back.

"What are you two idiots going on about?" Jackie asked them. I didn't even look up as I began to rub my eyes with the heel of my hands. "What's going on? What's this Doctor done now?"

"He's vamoosed!" Mickey said while laughing mockingly.

"He's not!" Rose yelled. My flinch went unnoticed and I clutched my head in pain. "'Cause he gave me this." Rose showed Mickey the TARDIS key and it began to glow gold. I ignored my own key as it did the same. The familiar sound of the TARDIS filled the air and a gust of wind almost made my hat fall off.

"Mum? Mum, go inside!" Rose yelled, making me wince. "Mum, don't stand there! Just go inside… Mum! Oh, blimey." Obviously, Jackie wasn't going anywhere and she stared in shock as the TARDIS began to materialize. I heard Rose run inside and I slowly followed her.

"All right, so I lied," I heard the Doctor say. "I went and had a look. But the whole crash landing's a fake. I thought so. Just too perfect. I mean, hitting Big Ben? Come on!" I rolled my eyes at the Doctor, knowing that he got the idea from me. I heard the Doctor continue to ramble but he stopped when Rose told him that her mom was there. The Doctor whirled around to find Jackie standing in the doorway, in total awe. Mickey was there too.

"Oh, that's just what I need," the Doctor said sarcastically. "Don't you dare make this place domestic!"

"You ruined my life, Doctor. They thought she was dead. I was a murder suspect because of you," Mickey shot at him.

"See what I mean? Domestic," the Doctor muttered.

"I bet you don't even remember my name!"

"Ricky!"

"It's Mickey!"

"No, it's Ricky."

"I think I know my own name," Mickey said, sounding offended. I was now sitting on the ground in a fetal position, my head in my knees.

"You think you know your own name? How stupid are you?" the Doctor shot at Mickey. I had to admit that Mickey was fun to pick on, but now the Doctor was just being mean. I heard the door slam and Rose started calling after Jackie. Rose ran after her and the Doctor turned back to the monitor.

"Come on, Viviana. Think. What is it then, that they're invading?" I didn't answer, in too much pain to even move. My head was pounding and I could barely hear myself think. The Doctor obviously didn't notice this, and if he did, he didn't acknowledge it.

"Funny way to invade, putting the world on red alert," Mickey pointed out.

"Good point," the Doctor admitted. "So, what're they up to?" I hauled myself off the ground and moved to stand by the Doctor. I saw Mickey staring at me, a concerned look on his face. I shook my head, silently telling him to leave it. Thankfully, he did.

"So what are you doing down there?" Mickey asked the Doctor as he got to work under the grates of the TARDIS. I was sitting down again, not really paying attention.

"Ricky."

"Mickey," the boy quickly corrected.

"Ricky. If I was to tell you what I was doing to the controls of my frankly magnificent time ship, would you even begin to understand?" the Doctor asked rudely.

"I suppose not-"

"Well, shut it, then." Mickey didn't reply but came and sat down next to me. He hesitantly reached out and rubbed my back comfortingly. I gave him a grateful look. It wasn't really relieving my headache, but at least he was trying.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

"Just a headache. It'll pass," I assured him. Mickey nodded but continued to rub my back. I unconsciously leaned on him, just thankful for him right now.

"Can I ask you something?" Mickey spoke softly. I nodded. "Are Rose and-" I cut him off with a shake of the head, that did nothing to ease the pounding.

"There is nothing between them. In fact, Rose seems to think that there's something between me and the Doctor." Mickey looked immensely relieved. "Mickey, it's only been days for us, since we last saw you a year ago. A few days at most."

"Really?" Mickey breathed out. I nodded with a small smile. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you when I don't have a headache that makes me want to crawl in a hole and die." I ended the sentence with a small laugh and Mickey smiled slightly. "By the way, just ignore the Doctor. Don't let him get to you." Mickey nodded.

"I'll try. Do you think Rose will stay?" I looked at him uncomfortably but was saved from having to answer by the Doctor yelling.

"Got it! Haha!" I winced at his voice and rubbed my temples. "Patched in the radar, looped it back twelve hours, so it'll follow the path of that spaceship. Here we go." Mickey helped me stand up and we went to stand by the Doctor. I ignored the Doctor's ramblings as I watched the monitor. When I saw the ship's origin, I was so stunned I momentarily forgot about my headache.

"Hold up. Did that just-"

"The spaceship came from Earth," the Doctor confirmed.

"They were already here," I breathed out. "But then why did they fly from one place to another? What are they doing?" I thought aloud. The Doctor shrugged. The Doctor then moved to the other monitor and began flipping through TV channels.

"How many channels do you get?" Mickey asked.

"I get all the basic packages."

"Do you get sports channels?"

"Yes, I get the football." The Doctor was obviously getting annoyed with all of Mickey's questions. "Hold on, I know that lot," the Doctor said staring at the screen. I walked around the console to see what he was staring at. The reporter was saying something about bringing in alien specialists and a group of people walked on screen in uniforms and in perfect sync.

"UNIT. United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. Good people," the Doctor explained.

"Didn't you work for them?" Mickey and I asked at the same time.

"How do you know that?" the Doctor rounded on Mickey.

"Don't think I sat on my backside for twelve months, Doctor. I read up on you. You look deep enough on the internet or in the history books, and there's his name. Followed by a list of the dead."

"That's nice. Good boy, Ricky," the Doctor mocked. More pounding filled my head as the Doctor started talking again. Something about going undercover and getting Mickey to drive us. I followed the Doctor from the TARDIS and immediately put my head in my hands.

"Do not move! Step away from the box!" said a man on a megaphone. I could barely hear him over the helicopter. The spotlight shined on me and it took all of my strength not to collapse on my knees. The pounding in my head drowned out the rest of the man's words. I didn't even notice the military cars surrounding us, or Rose and Jackie coming out of the apartment, yelling for us or when Mickey ran away. The only thing that reached my ears was the Doctor's voice.

"Take me to your leader!" he said enthusiastically. I couldn't help but smile, despite the pain I was in. I felt myself being lead to a car and I put my head back in my hands once the door was closed. The Doctor didn't say anything throughout the entire ride. Before I knew it, we were rolling up at 10 Downing Street. The camera flashes and clicks did nothing to help me, but I ignored my headache for the time being and walked into the house with the Doctor. We were lead into a room with numerous voices and I started rubbing my head again. A man came and approached the Doctor.

"Here's your ID card. I'm sorry your companion doesn't have clearance," the man said. I didn't even look up.

"I don't go anywhere without her," the Doctor argued.

"You're the Code Nine, not her. I'm sorry, Doctor," the man said sincerely. "She'll have to stay outside."

"She's staying with me," the Doctor insisted. "She knows more than you think."

"Look, even I don't have clearance to go in there," the man said.

"Go," I whispered, opening my eyes and looking up at the Doctor. He seemed to notice for the first time that I still had the massive headache. He immediately began massaging my temples again.

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you alone like this." I gave the Doctor a look.

"The last thing I need right now is a room full of people fighting over what to do with the situation. I need some silence. I'll be okay," I whispered.

"Excuse me, are you the Doctor?" An elderly woman asked coming up to us.

"Sure?" he said unsure. The man rolled his eyes.

"Not now, we're busy. Can't you go home?" The man was obviously very annoyed with the woman. They man and woman began to argue and I winced in the Doctor's hands.

"Are you sure you're okay? I mean, I know a Noctis gets headaches if they get overwhelmed, but this is different," the Doctor said.

"I'll consult," I muttered, tapping my head. He nodded and resumed the massaging. The man turned to me.

"I'm going to have to leave you with security," he told me. I nodded before the woman stepped in.

"It's all right. I'll look after her. Let me be of some use." The man nodded and the woman immediately led me from the room. Her grip was very tight and I did my best to keep up with her. She led me upstairs and into a meeting room, what I assumed was a very private meeting room that wasn't for the eyes of the public. I realized it was the Cabinet Rooms. I ignored this though and looked around the bland room. The woman had introduced herself as Harriet Jones with a flash of her ID.

"This friend of yours, he's an expert, right? He knows about aliens?" she asked.

"Why?" I asked, not too keen on trusting this woman right away. My eyes widened and my headache was forgotten as Harriet began sobbing. I tried to comfort her as she cried into her hands, but I don't think I did a very good job. Once she calmed down, she walked into a closet, and came back out with a suit in her hands. My eyes widened when I saw that it was a hollowed out body.

"They turn the body into a suit, a disguise for the thing inside," Harriet said as she laid the hollowed out body onto the table. She began to cry again.

"I believe you, I do," I assured her. "It's definitely alien. This is weird though. Turning bodies into suits? That's some wicked technology," I reasoned out. My head was still pounding, but I couldn't focus on that right now. I ignored it as best as I could and began to pace. "There's got to be something here." I began looking around the room. Once I came to a closet, I opened it up and something fell back. I jumped back as it landed on the floor. I nearly screamed when I saw that it was a man, a dead man.

"Harriet, for God's sake!" I whirled around and saw the same man from earlier standing in the doorway. "This has gone beyond a joke! You cannot just wander… Oh, my God." He paused when he saw the man on the floor. I wasn't much into politics, but judging by the look on the man's face, this was the missing Prime Minister. "That's the Prime Minister." He confirmed my thoughts.

"Oh. Has someone been naughty?" I looked up and saw a short, plump, blonde woman standing in the doorway. She had a smirk on her face and she closed the door, making my gut stir.

"But that's not possible. He left this afternoon," the man breathed out, still staring at the Prime Minister. "The Prime Minister left Downing Street. He was driven away!"

"And who told you that, hm?" The woman began to grin. "Me!" I watched as she reached up to her forehead and brushed some of her short hair aside. She seemed to grip something and brought it around her head. A blue light began to emit from her forehead and she grinned maliciously. My eyes widened as the blue light filled the room and she began to pull her face down. A strange creature began to show and my eyes widened even more. Harriet clung to me in fear and the man was frozen. A few moments later, a big, fat, hairless, green creature was stretching out its long claws. The blue light faded and the suit came off entirely. Now I could see that the creature was green with black eyes and it was wearing a strange metal collar.

Harriet screamed as the alien reached forward a lifted the man off the ground. The alien pinned him against the wall with its hand, and the man pounded against its arm. I could only watch in horror as the man struggled for air. The alien was suffocating him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Episode 5: "World War Three"**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Escaping the Slitheen, Captured by a Discovery**

My eyes widened as the alien started shrieking. It dropped the man and he fell to the floor. I would've run to him, but I was frozen at the sight of the green alien. It was covered in a bluish, white light, almost like it was being electrocuted. The electricity came from its metal collar. It seemed frozen and unable to move, so I grabbed Harriet's hand and we ran from the room. I didn't know where I was going, but at the time I didn't care. We just kept running.

"No, wait!" Harriet cried. I stopped and looked back at her. "They're still in there, the Emergency Protocols, we need them." I let out a frustrated sigh, but knew she was probably right. Harriet dragged me back towards the meeting room but stopped when the green alien was right in front of us. Harriet screamed and we turned and ran the other direction again. The alien, for being as big as it was, was quite quick. Harriet and I were soon out of breath. We ran through the house, not really knowing where we were going until we arrived at a locked room. I heard the ding of the elevator and looked over my shoulder to see the Doctor standing there, a grin plastered on his face. The alien shrieked at the Doctor, momentarily distracted. Harriet and I bolted again. Eventually, we arrived in yet another room.

"Hide!" Harriet hissed. Harriet hid behind a screen and I was small enough to hide behind the curtains.

"Oh, such fun!" the alien trilled as it came into the room. I froze and hoped to God I was invisible. "Little human children, where are you? Sweet little humeykins, come to me. Let me kiss you better. Kiss you with my big green lips." I shivered as I heard the alien hiss.

"My brothers," the female alien greeted as two more aliens walked into the room. I shut my eyes tightly and sucked in a breath.

"Happy hunting?" one of the males asked.

"It's wonderful. The more you prolong it, the more they stink."

"Sweat and fear. I can smell an old girl. Stale perfume and brittle bones."

"And a ripe youngster, all hormones and adrenaline," the female muttered. I furrowed my eyebrows, what kind of aliens could smell adrenaline? "Fresh enough to bend before she snaps." Suddenly, the curtain I was hiding behind was pushed aside. I let out a scream and Harriet jumped from her hiding place.

"No!" the woman yelled, holding out her arms. "Take me first, take me!" I almost intervened, but the door flew open and the Doctor ran in with a fire extinguisher. As the Doctor sprayed two of the aliens, I ripped the curtain off the rod and flung it over the head of the female one. It struggled and roared as Harriet and I ran to the Doctor.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked Harriet.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North," she replied.

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." The Doctor sprayed the aliens again, causing them to shriek. The three of us took our chance and bolted.

"We need to get to the Cabinet Rooms," the Doctor said as we ran through the house.

"The Emergency Protocols are in there," Harriet breathed. "They give instructions for aliens."

"Harriet Jones, I like you."

"I think I like you, too." The three of us ran through the house, the three aliens not far behind us. We soon reached a door and the Doctor stopped before pulling out the Sonic. He flashed it at the lock and we ran through the now unlocked door. I shut the door behind us, but the aliens were making for the other door. The Doctor lifted up a glass filled with alcohol, and I froze, knowing what he was thinking.

"One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol." The aliens stopped in their tracks. "Right, then, question time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"They're aliens," Harriet said, clutching onto a red briefcase.

"Yes, I got that, thanks," the Doctor said, a sarcastic edge in his voice.

"Who are you, if not human?" one of the Slitheen asked.

"Who's not human?" Harriet asked.

"He's not human. Neither am I," I told her quietly.

"You're not human?"

"Can I have a bit of hush?" the Doctor scolded lightly. He turned back to the Slitheen "So, what's the plan? You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of the government, what for? Invasion?"

"Why would we invade this godforsaken rock?" one Slitheen asked.

"Then something's brought the Slitheen race here. What is it?"

"Doctor," I cut in, "the Slitheen aren't a race. They're a family." The Doctor looked at me.

"Who are you?" the female Slitheen spat at me. I merely shrugged.

"No one important. Carry on." I looked back at the Doctor and he nodded.

"A family business. Then you're out to make a profit. How can you do that on a godforsaken rock?" The Doctor asked. The Slitheen didn't reply right away.

"Um, excuse me. Your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability?" A Slitheen asked.

"Is that what I said?" the Doctor asked.

"You're making it up."

"Oh, well. Nice try," the Doctor sighed. "Harriet, have a drink. I think you're going to need it."

"You pass it to the left first."

"Sorry." The Doctor forced the alcohol into my hands and I cringed. I was never one for alcohol. I could barely stand wine and champagne, let alone hard liquor.

"Now we can end this hunt." The Slitheen flexed its claws, "with a slaughter."

"Fascinating history, Downing Street," the Doctor began. "2,000 years ago, this was marshland. 1730, it was occupied by a Mr. Chicken. He was a nice man. 1796, this was the Cabinet Room. If the Cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four most safest walls in the whole of Great Britain. End of lesson." The Doctor reached for something in the frame of the door and I stepped back, not knowing what was going to happen. Suddenly, metal slammed down, shutting and cutting off all the doors and windows in the room. My eyes widened as the Doctor turned around, grinning.

"Installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every single wall," he explained. I looked at him, a neutral look on my face.

"You do realize that not only did you make it so they can't get in, but you made it so that we can't get out?" I told the Doctor. His grin faded and he looked down.

"Ah," he muttered, looking uncomfortable. I chuckled and rolled my eyes at him. I should've known something like that was going to happen. I went over to the table and sat down, feeling my headache come back as the adrenaline faded. A few minutes later, it was beginning to be unbearable again. The Doctor must've noticed because he came over and stood behind me before starting to massage my temples.

"Figure out what's going on?" he asked quietly.

"No. Right after Harriet and I got here we found the Prime Minister and the female Slitheen. We ran, you showed up and you know the rest," I said.

"Can you look? Please? This isn't just a headache, Viviana, I can tell," the Doctor replied.

"You're right, Doctor." The Doctor and I jumped and looked behind us to see my father, James, standing there in all his blue mist glory. Harriet was staring at him, her mouth hanging open.

"Dad? What do you mean?" I asked with a slightly shaky voice. It must not be good if he was here to explain it in person. He seemed to sense my worry though, and smiled softly.

"You're okay, kiddo. It'll pass. Your mind is just getting used to all of our memories, knowledge and the bond with the Doctor. You're so young. Normally, we don't bond with people or share our memories and you got both at the same time. Your mind's adjusting. You'll be fine and it'll be gone after a few days. It's at its worse right now," he explained. I sighed with relief and Dad and I laughed. Then I paused, thinking about how easily I had accepted this man as my father. I guess it helped that I now knew that he didn't leave me and Mom.

"You're sure?" I bit my lip. Dad nodded with a smile, but then turned serious.

"Evelyn…" he seemed to choke on my name, "there's something I have to tell you. Your Mother and Aunt don't want me to tell you this, but Nathaniel and I think you have the right to know." I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Grandpapa? Where is he?"

"He's distracting Claire and Maggie. They don't even know I'm gone."

"Well, what is it?" Dad walked forward and placed a hand on my cheek. I gasped, he touched me like a normal, sold person. It only felt like warm air against my skin, but he was able to touch me.

'_Your name_._'_ I frowned at his voice in my head.

'_We can speak telepathically?'_ I asked.

_ 'Yes. We're family, we don't need a bond. Anyway, your name.' _

_ 'What about it?'_

_ 'It's not your real name. Evelyn Viviana was the name Maggie and Nathaniel gave you when you three landed on Earth. You know about the Time War. They felt that if you were able to escape, others were too. And because you are my daughter, a part of the Incolae royal family...a princess, they felt that they should protect you. If there were others, Maggie and Nathaniel felt that they might try to come after you, so they kept your identity a secret. Despite being a disgrace,_ I cringed and he smiled sheepishly, _my father, the King, loved you and he genuinely wanted to see you grow up. He banished Claire, not you. He named you, and everyone knew of Nyx Oriana, Princess of the Incolae.'_ I furrowed my eyebrows as he said the slightly familiar name.

'_That's my real name?'_ Dad nodded. '_Why would Mom and Aunt Maggie want to keep that a secret from me?'_

'_I don't know, they never ga_ve _me a straight answer. Nathaniel can't even get an answer out of them. They're hiding something and I'm going to figure it out. I'll keep you updated on what I find. Tell no one about this, not even the Doctor. There's a chance he might not know who Nyx Oriana is but I don't want to take the chance.' _

_ 'We can trust the Doctor,'_ I said shooting a look at Dad.

'_There's a reason your Mother and Aunt want to keep this from you. There's a good chance that they don't want anyone to know. Besides, I'm not sure I trust the Doctor.' _

_ 'Oh, come on! I trust him with my life!'_

_ 'I know that, but he didn't listen to you in Cardiff when you had a bad feeling about the Gelth.' _

_ 'Why should he? It was just a feeling.' _

_ 'But you had the same feeling today when you first got to Downing Street.' _I paused, not quite knowing how he knew this, but he answered my silent question before I could ask out loud, so to speak. _We're always watching over you, Nyx. We're always with you.' _

_ 'Why am I getting these feelings?' _

_ 'Some very special, very rare Noctis get small premonitions. It's very small, miniscule things that they are able to see, and most of the time they don't even know it's happening. The event will happen and most Noctis will brush it off like deja vu. Not you, you are even more special. You actually get feelings, you're able to tell when something is off or wrong. You still get the small premonitions, but they aren't as strong as the feelings.' _Dad almost gave me a sympathetic look, which I didn't understand.

'_The Doctor probably doesn't know this. If I told him, then maybe he would listen.' _

_ 'Key word: maybe.' _I rolled my eyes.

'_Aren't you a stubborn one?' _Dad chuckled. '_Why can't I tell the Doctor my real name? It's not like he's going to start calling me Nyx.' _

_ 'I know that, but this is something I agree with your Mother and Aunt on. Nathaniel and I believe that you have the right to know about your real name, but we agree that it should be secret from everyone else.' _

_ 'Why?'_

_ 'There could still be people out there who would want to harm you if they found out who you are.' _

_ 'Do you really think the Doctor is one of those people?' _Dad gave me a look.

'_Of course, not. But the Doctor has enemies, enemies who would want to harm you if they found out that you are Princess Nyx Oriana. _I was about to argue, but Dad cut me off. _Please, trust me on this. Don't reveal your name to anyone, not even the Doctor. I don't know how he would react.' _

_ 'He's not going to throw me out of the TARDIS, if that's what you mean.' _

_ 'I know that, but please, Nyx.' _I could see that my father was practically begging, and I nodded.

'_But, the Doctor figured out who I was before you told me. He knows that I'm a Noctis and a Solis. I mean, he doesn't know I'm a princess, but still… What makes you think the Doctor hasn't made the connection yet?' _

_ 'Your name was kept a secret from all the other races and planets out there. We were in the middle of a war, no one wanted you harmed. They knew there was a princess, but not her name, one of the most vital things to finding and tracking someone.' _I was still uneasy. '_I know you're still hesitant on agreeing with me on not telling the Doctor, even though you already did. The Doctor is fresh out of the Time War, he's unpredictable and slightly unstable.' _He paused, looking for a reaction, but when I didn't give one, he continued. '_There's something the Doctor doesn't know. Actually, a few things. One, he cannot prevent the Bad Wolves. No one can. If he knew this, he would try to stop prevent them. He can't, it will kill him if he does. You can't tell him this or your name.' _I studied James, brushing off the cryptic warnings.

'_There's more. Another reason I can't tell the Doctor my name. What is it?' _Dad smiled.

'_Clever girl. The Doctor has to figure it out himself. He will find out eventually, but something has to happen first. The fate of the universe depends on it. If the Doctor finds out, he'll try to prevent it from happening and that would mean the end of the universe.' _

_ 'What's the prophecy?' _Dad smirked while shaking his head.

'_Prophe_cies_, there are three about you, and you'll find out. But I'm serious. You can't tell the Doctor. The Universe is counting on him not knowing and trying to prevent it.' _I nodded, but a thought occurred to me.

'_The Doctor and I have a mental bond. What makes you think he can't hear us right now?' _

_ 'I'm blocking him.' _Dad said this like it was no big deal. '_Oh, by the way. It would be a good idea to block this from him once I'm gone. The mental bond means full access and as new memories are created, they flow into the mind of the other. You need to block this from him if we don't want him to find out. Please, daughter.'_

'_Fine, I won't tell him.' _He smiled.

_ 'I love you, Nyx.' _I smiled, already used to hearing my real name.

'_I love you too, Dad.' _He removed his hand from my cheek. I was startled when I realized it had been there the entire time. He smiled at me again before drifting back into my necklace. I quickly blocked the entire conversation in my mind.

"What the hell was that?" the Doctor asked me, looking highly annoyed. I shrugged.

"Dad had to tell me something. He didn't want anyone else finding out," I said smoothly. The Doctor frowned and I mimicked it as I felt a slightly nudge in the back of my mind. I scowled at the Doctor. "Boundaries, Doctor." He froze and pulled out of my mind upon hearing my icy tone.

"Why won't you tell me?" I froze, the Doctor actually sounded…betrayed.

"It was something extremely private, Doctor. He didn't want me to tell anyone, including you. I don't want to offend you, but I'm respecting his wishes. Please respect that I don't want to tell you, not yet." The Doctor nodded.

"But you will tell me, right? Eventually?" I rolled my eyes at him and went to sit down again, rubbing my eyes. My headache had disappeared while talking to Dad, but it was back. The Doctor frowned at me and gently removed my hands from my head, resuming his massaging.

"Who was that?" Harriet breathed out. I looked over at her, having completely forgotten she was there.

"It's a long story and not really important right now," I sighed. She nodded, but still looked curious. I leaned my head back, savoring the feeling of the Doctor's massage. After a few more minutes of nothing but silence and the Doctor massaging my head, he paused.

"Who's this then?" he asked, walking over to the body of the man from earlier. I blushed, having completely forgotten about him. I felt even worse when I saw that he was dead.

"Who?" Harriet asked, not looking up from the Emergency Protocols.

"This one," the Doctor answered, dragging the man's body inside a closet. "The, uh, secretary, or whatever he was called."

"I don't know. I talked to him. I brought him a cup of coffee. I never asked his name," Harriet admitted sadly. The Doctor stepped out of the closet and reached for the Sonic.

"Right, what have we got? Any terminals, anything?" He began to sonic one of the steel barriers.

"No. This place is pretty old," I said sadly. "Though, why did they kill the Prime Minister? Why didn't they use him as one of their skin suits?" I asked, my bluntness coming through.

"He's too slim. They're big old beasts. They need to fit inside big humans."

"But, the Slitheen are so much taller than us? How do they fit?"

"That's the device around their necks, compression field, literally shrinks them down a bit." The Doctor moved to another barrier and began to scan it. "That's why there's all that gas. It's a big exchange."

"I could use the opposite. Gain a few inches in height," I muttered. I was always conscious about how short I was compared to everyone else. Not only was I small, but I was short. Even Rose was taller than me.

"Excuse me, people are dead! This is not the time to be making jokes!" Harriet scolded.

"Sorry," I said quickly. "I'm used to this kind of stuff. This kind of happens when you hang around him."

"Well, that's a strange friendship."

"Harriet Jones. I've heard that name before. Harriet Jones," the Doctor muttered while staring at the woman. He looked at me, almost like he was asking for an answer, but I shrugged.

"Well, I doubt it. Lifelong backbencher I'm afraid and a fat lot of use I'm being right now," Harriet answered. "The Protocols are redundant. They list the people who could help and they're all dead downstairs."

"What about defense codes?" I asked. I knew it was a long shot. Defense codes weren't something governments just left lying around. "I mean, why can't we just bomb them?"

"You're a very violent young woman," Harriet said staring at me. I scowled.

"No, actually, I hate violence, "I admitted. "But what else is there to do when UNIT's not helping, the British Government's been infiltrated, and we're stuck in here?"

"There's nothing like that in here," Harriet told me. I cursed in my head, expecting that answer. "Nuclear strikes do need a release code, yes, but it's-"

"Kept secret by the UN," I cut her off. Harriet nodded.

"Wait, what?" the Doctor asked.

"The codes are kept secret by the UN," I repeated.

"Is it important?" Harriet asked.

"Everything's important," the Doctor said.

"If we only knew what the Slitheen wanted," Harriet mumbled. She paused. "Listen to me, I'm saying Slitheen as if it's normal." I smiled and patted her shoulder.

"That's a good point though. What do they want?" I asked. "I mean, it's not an invasion. They're just one family."

"They don't want Slitheen World," the Doctor continued. "They're out to make money. That means they want to use something, something here on Earth, some kind of asset."

"Like what? Gold? Oil? Water?" Harriet listed.

"You're very good at this," the Doctor praised her.

"Thank you," Harriet blushed.

"Harriet Jones, why do I know that name?" the Doctor asked again. No one was able to answer as a phone went off. I froze, before realizing that it was on me. I furrowed my eyebrows before checking my pockets. My confusion only increased as I pulled Rose's phone out of my jacket.

"But we're sealed off, how did you get a signal?" Harriet asked, eyeing the phone.

"The Doctor fixed it," I muttered while opening the message.

"Is that Rose's phone?" the Doctor asked. I nodded. "Why do you have it?"

"No idea," I muttered, not really paying attention to him, but to the message instead. "Doctor, it's Mickey."

"Oh, what does he want now?" the Doctor grumbled. "We're busy." I merely handed the Doctor the phone. He took it and stared at the picture of the glowing Slitheen.

~)8(~

"No, no, no, not just alien, but like, proper alien," Mickey said over the phone. "All stinking, and wet, and disgusting, and more to the point, it wanted to kill us!"

"Rose and I could've died!" I heard Jackie say in the background.

"Are they okay?" I asked him. "By the way, why was Rose's phone in my jacket pocket?"

"They're fine and she's saying something about how she put it in there when you two were getting ready for 1869." I laughed as I heard the confusion in Mickey's voice, but it cleared up my confusion.

"Is that Ricky?" the Doctor asked while taking the phone out of my hand. I rolled my eyes, but didn't steal it back. "Don't talk. Just shut up and go to your computer." I tapped into the Doctor's head so I could hear the conversation.

"It's Mickey, and why should I?"

"Mickey the Idiot, and I might just choke before I finish this sentence, but I need you." I smiled, thinking about how difficult it must've been for the Doctor to say that and about how Mickey's self-esteem probably went up a couple notches. Soon, Mickey was on his computer, waiting for instructions.

"How is she?" I heard Rose call in the background. I smiled.

"She's fine, Rose," Mickey answered.

"I want to talk to her!"

"Not now! It says, 'password,'" Mickey told the Doctor. The Doctor plugged the phone into the speaker on the table, and I pulled out of his mind.

"Buffalo. Two F's. One L," the Doctor answered. I smiled as I heard Mickey start explaining UNIT's website to Jackie, very dramatically at that.

"Password again," Mickey said.

"Repeat it, every time," the Doctor replied. "Big Ben. Why did the Slitheen go and hit Big Ben?"

"You said to gather the experts. To kill them," Harriet answered.

"That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon. You don't need to crash land it in the middle of London."

"So, before they were hiding out. Then, they fly all the way here, crash, and put the world on red alert. Why?" I continued.

"Oh, listen to her," I heard Jackie mutter over the phone.

"At least she's trying!" Rose retorted. I smiled at the girl, standing up for me. I knew that Rose was a little angry at her mom for all the things she said to me before. Despite accepting her apology, they still stung a little bit.

"Well, I've got a question if you don't mind. Since that man walked into our lives, I've been attacked in the streets. I've had creatures from the pit of hell in my own living room, and my daughter and her best friend disappeared off the face of the Earth."

"I told you what happened," Rose said calmly.

"I'm talking to him!" Jackie yelled. "'Cause I've seen this life of yours, Doctor, and maybe you get off on it, and maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me, answer me this," Jackie spewed, unknowing of the extremely annoyed look on the Doctor's face, "is my daughter safe? Are Rose and Viviana safe?"

"We're fine!" Rose answered.

"Are they safe?" Jackie repeated. The Doctor and I made eye contact, neither one of us answering nor quite willing to lie to Jackie. "Well, what's the answer?" Jackie asked, exasperated. We still didn't reply. A couple seconds later, Mickey came back on the line.

"We're in," he said. The Doctor and I broke eye contact as he moved down the table.

"Now, then. On the left, at the top, there's a tab, an icon, little concentric circles, click on that," the Doctor instructed.

"What is it?" Mickey asked.

"The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's translating that signal. Now, hush, let me work out what it's saying." I listened intently to the message, words translating in my head. A bonus that came with having five different people's lives and knowledge stuffed in my head was that I picked up a few languages… Well, more like five billion, but still. I ignored Jackie's voice and focused on the signal.

"It's some kind of message," the Doctor and I said at the same time.

"On a loop, it keeps repeating," I muttered.

'_How do you know that?'_ I rolled my eyes at the Doctor's question.

'_Picked up a few things when my family's lives and knowledge were crammed into my head. Picked up even more when I gained access to your mind.'_ The Doctor didn't reply and I continued listening to the signal. There was a buzz over the phone and the Doctor yelled at them. It sounded like the doorbell and I heard Jackie get up to answer it.

"It's beaming out into space? Who's it for?" the Doctor mumbled.

"They've found us!" I heard Mickey say. My eyes widened and I looked up at the Doctor.

"Come on Mickey, we need that signal," I said.

"We can't, it's by the front door," Mickey replied. I bit back a groan. I knew that it was unfair for the Doctor and I to do this to them when their lives were in danger, but we needed the signal. I tensed when I heard the Slitheen screech in the background.

"Oh, my God. It's unmasking. It's going to kill us," Mickey breathed.

"There's got to be some way of stopping them!" Harriet cried. She rounded on the Doctor. "You're supposed to be the expert. Think of something!"

"I'm trying!" The Doctor sounded extremely frustrated, and so was I. We listened as Mickey told Rose and Jackie to run, and that he'd take on the Slitheen while they escaped. I looked at the Doctor, a desperate look on my face. Rose was my best friend, my only friend in years, I couldn't lose her.

"We have to find their weakness. What planet are they from?" I asked the Doctor. His eyes widened and he commanded me and Harriet to list off things we knew about them.

"They're green," I stated, also eliminating planets and thinking of possibilities in my mind.

"Yes, narrows it down."

"Good sense of smell, they can smell adrenaline."

"Narrows it down."

"The pig technology," Harriet provided.

"Narrows it down," the Doctor replied. We were getting close.

"Slipstream engine in the spaceship," I added.

"Narrows it down." More screeches could be heard over the speaker and I began to panic.

"The way they hunt! They act like it's a ritual!"

"Narrows it down."

"Wait a minute, did you notice? When they fart, if you'll pardon the word, it doesn't just smell like a fart, if you'll pardon the word. It's something else," Harriet pointed out. My eyes widened.

"Bad breath. Calcium decay," I realized.

"Now that narrows it down!" the Doctor cried.

"Hold on guys!" I called to Mickey, Rose, and Jackie.

"Too late!" Mickey and Rose yelled back.

"Calcium phosphate. Organic Calcium. Living Calcium," the Doctor continued, marching over to the steel barrier blocking the door. "Creatures made out of Calcium. What else? What else? Hyphenated surname, yes! That narrows it down to one planet!"

"Raxacoricofallapatorius!" I yelled at the same time as the Doctor. He looked at me, stunned and I merely shrugged. Honestly, you think he'd appreciate having someone around who could keep up with him.

"Guys! Get into the kitchen!" I called. I heard shuffling and running and slamming and screeching. "Find vinegar! You need vinegar!" I continued.

"Just like Hannibal!" Harriet cried.

"Just like Hannibal!" the Doctor repeated. "Mickey, have you got any vinegar?"

"How should I know?" he asked. I looked up, exasperated with the boy.

"It's your kitchen," the Doctor replied.

"Cupboard by the sink. Middle shelf," I heard Rose say. I couldn't help but smile at the girl's words. Of course she would know where everything in his apartment was, even if we had been gone a year.

"What do you need?" Jackie said coming on the line.

"Anything with vinegar!" the Doctor replied. I heard a list of a few things as Jackie found stuff in Mickey's kitchen.

"Gherkins! Pickled Onions! Pickled eggs!" I heard Jackie list. I gagged; I hated all of those things.

"You kissed this man?" the Doctor asked Rose. I stifled a laugh and I could imagine Rose rolling her eyes before ignoring him. I heard a smash and a roar, and I assumed the Slitheen was about to attack them. Suddenly, there was silence, and I held my breath. Then, there was a farting noise and a splat, almost like the Slitheen had burst open. Judging from the silence on the other line, that's exactly what happened. The Doctor, Harriet, and I sighed in relief before the Doctor and Harriet picked up two glasses, filled them with alcohol, clinked their glasses, and downed the liquid.

"Hannibal?" I asked, not getting the reference from earlier.

"Hannibal crossed the Alps by dissolving boulders with vinegar," Harriet explained. I nodded.

"Listen to this," I heard Mickey say. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion until I heard what he was talking about.

"Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads. And they have found massive weapons of destruction capable of being deployed within 45 seconds." It was Joseph Green, the stand-in Prime Minister/Slitheen.

"What?" I heard the Doctor say.

"Our technicians can baffle the alien probes, but not for long. We are facing extinction unless we act first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mothership. I beg of the United Nations. Pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes. A nuclear strike at the heart of the beast is our only chance of survival, because, from this moment on, it is my solemn duty to inform you planet Earth is at war."

"He's making it up. There's no weapons up there," the Doctor growled. I looked up at him, knowing he was extremely frustrated. "There's no threat. He just invented it."

"Do you think they'll believe him?" Harriet asked.

"Why won't they? The public thinks he's the Prime Minister, that he's the good guy," I answered.

"That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle," the Doctor realized. "They want the whole world panicking 'cause you lot, you get scared, you lash out."

"The UN releases the codes…" I started.

"The Slitheen go nuclear," the Doctor finished.

"But why?" Harriet inquired. The Doctor opened the steel barrier, revealing three Slitheen on the other side. The aliens looked at us and I did my best to keep my face free of emotion.

"You get the codes, release the missiles. But not into space, 'cause there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth, they retaliate, fight back. World War Three. The whole planet gets nuked," the Doctor reasoned. The female Slitheen from earlier, now back in human form stepped forward with a sickly sweet smile on her face. Margaret was her name, I think.

"And we can sit through it, safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames," she finished. I did my best not to glare at the woman since that would only make things worse. "Not crashed, just parked. Barely two minutes away."

"But you'll destroy the planet. This beautiful place. What for?" Harriet asked.

"Profit," the Doctor answered. "That's what the signal is, beaming into space. An advert."

"Sale of the century. We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it," Margaret explained. This time, I really did glare at her as she continued to explain their plans. I may not be human, but this planet was my home. I wasn't going to just sit and let it be destroyed.

"At the cost of five billion lives," the Doctor muttered.

"Bargain," she merely said.

"I give you a choice. Leave this planet, or I'll stop you," the Doctor threatened. The woman and the other three Slitheen burst into giggles.

"What? You?" Margaret taunted while walking towards us. "Trapped in your box?"

"Yes. Me." The Doctor was dead serious, and they heard it in his voice. The giggles immediately ceased and the Slitheen stared at the Doctor. He activated the steel barrier again and once more, Harriet, the Doctor and I were trapped inside the Cabinet Room. After a few minutes, Rose's phone rang. I wasn't even aware that we had ended the last call but, whatever. The Doctor pushed a button on the speaker and Jackie's voice come on the line.

"All right, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do," she said. I looked at the Doctor, waiting for him to answer.

"If we could ferment the port, we could make acetic acid," Harriet suggested.

"Any luck, Mickey?" I asked.

"There's loads of emergency numbers," he replied. I was only half paying attention to him. The other half of my attention was on the Doctor. He was silent, just standing in the corner. "They're all on voicemail."

"Voicemail dooms us all," Harriet sighed. I looked over at the Doctor.

'_There's a way out, isn't there? There always has been.'_ The Doctor looked up at me, slightly startled. '_I may not be as smart as you, but I know you, Doctor. I can tell by the look on your face that you're deep in thought, probably contemplating whether or not the way out is worth it.' _The Doctor's face was still just as stunned, but he spoke out loud.

"There's a way out," he stated. Harriet froze and looked at him. "There's always been a way out."

"Then… why don't we use it?" I asked, not at all expecting the answer that came.

"I can't guarantee Viviana's safety," the Doctor said. I did a double take, but he ignored me.

"Don't you dare, Doctor!" I heard Rose growl.

"Whatever it is, don't you dare," Jackie agreed.

"That's the thing, if I don't dare everyone dies," the Doctor replied grimly.

"Whatever it is, do it. I'm not worth the lives of everyone on this planet," I said firmly, seriously believing every word that came out of my mouth. The Doctor's eyes shot to mine faster than I thought possible. What startled me even more was the dark look in them.

"Don't say that! Don't ever let me hear you say something like that again, Evelyn Viviana Davis!" I rolled my eyes.

"It's true though! There are billions of people on this planet. I'm only one person. Besides, you'll get over it, you always have."

"Not this time. You're different and you know it. You understand, Viviana. You understand me, I can _talk_ to you. I couldn't bear it if…" he trailed off and my eyes softened. Harriet was silent, merely staring at us with a confused expression. Rose, Mickey, and Jackie were silent also. I walked over to the Doctor, and made him look at me.

'_I'm sorry… I didn't think about it like that_.' The Doctor looked at me with sad eyes, and I wanted nothing more than to take away the pain he felt about everything that happened in the Time War. To my surprise, the Doctor pulled me forward and embraced me tightly. I put my arms around his neck and hugged him back just as tight. A few seconds later, we pulled away but kept our arms around each other.

"Doctor, please! That's my best friend!" I heard Rose cry.

"I worried about her almost as much as I did about Rose. I may not be her mother, but she's as good as a daughter to me! She's just a kid, please!" Jackie cried. I looked at the speaker, touched at Jackie's comments.

"Do you think I don't know that?" the Doctor replied. His arms tightened around my waist, as if he wanted to make sure I was still there and not some kind of illusion. "Because this is my life, Jackie. It's not fun, it's not smart. It's just standing up and making a decision because no one else will."

"Just do it," I whispered. "What are you waiting for?"

"I could save the world, but lose you," he replied just as softly.

"I'm a big girl. You don't have to look out for me, and I'm not going anywhere," I assured him. The Doctor still looked uneasy. "I trust you," I whispered so only he could hear. The Doctor's eyes softened even more, he almost looked vulnerable.

"Except it's not your decision, Doctor," Harriet started, ruining the moment. "It's mine."

"Who the hell are you?" I heard Rose and Jackie say at the same time.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people, for the people. And on behalf of the people, I command you. Do it." The Doctor and I stared at the older woman for a minute before grinning at each other. I stepped out of the Doctor's arms, ready to do whatever was needed. I thought I saw a frown on the Doctor's face, but it was gone as soon as I saw it. I brushed it off, thinking it was my eyes playing tricks on me.

"So, how do we get out of here?" I asked.

"We don't. We stay here," the Doctor replied, opening up the Emergency Protocols. Then, he looked at me. "You could just look and see what it is, you know."

"Takes the excitement out of everything. It's not as fun if I know everything. Besides, I don't want to invade your mind, even if it is to see what the escape plan is. I'd feel uncomfortable."

"We have a mental bond, Viviana. You know almost everything about me. I know almost everything about you. It's okay," he told me. I gave him a small smile and he got back to work.

"Mental bond?" Harriet asked.

"Alien thing," I replied. She nodded, but looked a little confused. I didn't elaborate though. I didn't have the energy. I was still barely managing to pay attention to everything with my headache, let alone explain something like the mental bond. Besides, we didn't have the time.

"Use the 'buffalo' password, it overrides everything," the Doctor told Mickey.

"We're in. Here it is, uh, HMS Taurean, Trafalgar Class submarine, 10 miles off the coast of Plymouth," Mickey said.

"Right, we need to select a missile," the Doctor replied.

"We can't go nuclear, we don't have the defense codes," Mickey said.

"We don't have to go nuclear. We just need a missile," I answered, catching onto the Doctor's plan. "What's the first category?"

"Sub harpoon, UGM-84A."

"That's the one. Select," the Doctor said.

"I could stop you," I heard Jackie say. My eyes widened.

"Mum!" I heard Rose yell.

"Do it, then," Mickey replied calmly. I breathed a sigh of relief when nothing happened.

"You ready for this?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah."

"Mickey the Idiot, the world is in your hands," the Doctor said seriously. "Fire." The next thing I heard was a click. The Doctor, Harriet, and I stood in silence before Harriet asked a question.

"How solid are these?" The woman walked over to one of the steel barriers.

"Not solid enough," I replied grimly.

"They're built for short-range attack. Nothing this big," the Doctor continued for me.

"All right," Rose said coming onto the line.

"Who's that?" Harriet asked.

"Harriet Jones, Rose Tyler," I introduced quickly. "Now, what were you going to say, Rose?"

"You're not going to die. You're going to ride this one out. It's like what they say about earthquakes, you get under a solid door frame. The smaller the better." I immediately ran over to one of the closets, and opened it. It was small, perfect. I smiled and looked back at Harriet and the Doctor before beckoning them over. Harriet immediately ran over, but the Doctor stayed behind to continue talking to Mickey.

"It's on radar," Mickey informed us.

"Great, that's just what we need," I mumbled as Harriet and I cleared things out of the closet.

"Counter defense 556," Mickey said.

"Stop them intercepting it!" the Doctor ordered.

"I'm doing it now!"

"Good boy!"

"556 neutralized!" The Doctor stayed there, and I was getting impatient. That missile was getting closer and closer.

"Doctor, come on!" I hissed. He didn't budge so I rolled my eyes and walked to him. I made him look at me again before speaking. "I trust you, now it's your turn to trust me." The Doctor froze, trying to come up with a reply, but he couldn't and unplugged Rose's cell from the speaker. He put it to his ear and came to help me and Harriet. I ignored the panic I heard throughout the house and outside as they evacuated because of the missile. The Doctor hung up with Mickey, handed me Rose's cell, and I ran into the closet. The Doctor and Harriet followed me before we all sat up against one of the walls.

"Well, nice knowing you both," Harriet said. The Doctor and I didn't reply as all of us joined hands. Harriet grabbed the Doctor's left hand while he offered me his right. I took it and gave it a squeeze, my silent goodbye. The Doctor squeezed my hand back in a reply before I closed my eyes, waiting for what was coming. Seconds later, the house rumbled and shook, making the three of us cry out. At one point, the three of us were thrown away from each other. The Doctor and Harriet went in one direction while I went another. I immediately rolled over onto my stomach and covered my head as a chair flew towards me. It landed on my back, making me grunt, but I still didn't move. A couple seconds later, I felt everything still and silence surrounded me.

"Viviana!" I heard the Doctor call.

"I'm all right," I told him as he rushed towards me. I pushed the chair off me and heaved myself to my feet in time for the Doctor to crush me with a hug. I made a noise of surprise, but hugged him back. A few seconds later, we pulled away and Harriet pulled me into a hug. I patted the kind woman on the back as we embraced. We heard people running towards us and exited the still standing, steel sanctuary.

"Oh, my God! Are you alright?" I heard a UNIT agent yell as he came towards us.

"Harriet Jones," Harriet introduced herself, pulling out her signature ID card. "MP, Flydale North. I want you to contact the UN immediately. Tell the ambassadors the crisis is over. They can step down. Go on. Tell the news."

"Yes, ma'am," the agent replied before running off.

"Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out," Harriet sighed. I looked around the bomb site, a guilty, sheepish feeling arising in my gut. I mean, we did just destroy the Prime Minister's house, a key place in Britain.

"Oh, Lord! We haven't got a Prime Minister!" Harriet realized.

"I think you should go for it," I told her. "I'd definitely vote for you."

"You're American," Harriet observed. "You can't vote."

"Dual citizenship," I told her with a smile. It was true. Even when I lived in America, I had dual citizenship. Aunt Maggie never really explained why, but then again, she didn't have to. I figured out why when I went to live with Grandpapa.

"Now, don't be silly," Harriet scolded playfully. I shrugged. I would vote for her. Despite having known that woman for only about 12 hours, I trusted her. She had been very brave and a big help in there. I was being truthful, when I said I would vote for her. Harriet gave me a small smile before turning and walking off, towards the crowds. She started informing everyone how Earth was safe and the crowds gave her their undivided attention. The Doctor and I grinned at each other before starting to walk away from the site.

"I thought I knew the name," the Doctor said, turning to look at me. I raised my eyebrows. "Harriet Jones. Future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms. The architect of Britain's Golden Age." Hearing this, I smiled at the woman's back, fully believing what the Doctor said about her and her accomplishments. The Doctor turned and I followed behind him. Soon, we were passing the TARDIS. I froze and tugged on the Doctor's arm. He followed my gaze and an angry look filled his eyes. Someone had tagged the TARDIS. On the side of it, were the words "Bad Wolves" in white spray paint. I frowned though, recognizing the words. That was something Gwyneth had said to us. Plus, Dad had said the same words, saying the Doctor couldn't stop them. I shrugged it off though, Gwyneth said a lot of things that didn't make sense and this was probably a gang or someone trying to be funny. Dad was making less sense than Gwyneth at the time. I waved to the Doctor as he entered the TARDIS and he grinned back. Then, I turned and ran off towards Rose's apartment. I found the door unlocked and immediately went inside. I shut the door behind me and smiled when Rose and Jackie appeared from around the corner, staring at me with wide, relieved eyes. Rose immediately pulled me into a tight hug and I gladly returned it. Jackie hugged me next and I pulled away to question them.

"Are you guys okay?" I asked. "What happened to the Slitheen that came after you?"

"You were just in a building that got hit by a missile, and you're asking if we're okay?" Rose asked with a raised eyebrow. I shrugged.

"I'm fine, and you're to thank for that." Rose's eyes widened. "Your idea, about standing under a doorframe," I clarified. Her confusion faded and she laughed lightly.

"You're welcome," she teased. I laughed, but it soon faded.

"No, seriously, are you guys okay?" I asked again.

"We're fine, love. The vinegar thing worked. Exploded all over," Jackie described. I made a face, imagining how disgusting that must've been. "I had Slitheen all over me."

"Me too," Rose added. "It was disgusting." The three of us talked some more before Jackie went to make us some tea. Rose and I went into the living room and turned on the news. I smiled when I saw Harriet Jones's face appear on the screen.

"Harriet Jones. Who does she think she is?" Jackie scoffed a couple minutes later, coming out of the kitchen. She handed me the mug and I thanked her. "Look at her! Taking all the credit! It should be you on there," Jackie said to me. I made another face.

"I don't do crowds and cameras," I muttered. Rose laughed, and so did I.

"Viviana saved the world," Jackie said to the TV, like the interviewers and news anchors could hear. I smiled at Jackie, she really did consider me a daughter, and that meant the world to me. I had never had a mother before. Even Aunt Maggie wasn't like a mother to me, but I guess it was because she liked to talk about her sister, my real mother.

"I think the Doctor helped a bit," Rose told Jackie.

"All right, then. Him too," Jackie said sitting down in an armchair. "You should be given knighthoods."

"Can they make an American a British knight?" I asked, genuinely curious. I know that I was a British citizen, but as far as the humans knew, I was born American.

"Good question," Rose said. "But the Doctor doesn't do things like that. No fuss, he just moves on." I nodded, agreeing with Rose.

"You should give him a chance," I said looking back at Jackie.

"He's good in a crisis, I'll give him that," Jackie replied. I rolled my eyes fondly at her, knowing it would take a lot for her to actually admit that she liked the Doctor.

"Oh, now the world has changed. You're saying nice things about him," Rose teased.

"I reckon I've got no choice. There's no getting rid of him since you're both infatuated," Jackie argued.

"I'm not infatuated," Rose and I grumbled at the same time, looking away from Jackie. I didn't know about Rose, but I didn't quite know how to feel about the Doctor. I couldn't deny that I was drawn to the Doctor. Right from the get go I was drawn to him, like iron to a magnet. He was dorkily attractive and he was, overall, a great man. Anyone would be lucky to say they had even met the Doctor, let alone got to travel with him.

"What does he eat?" Jackie asked suddenly. My eyebrows furrowed. "I was going to do sheppard's pie. All of us, a proper sit-down. 'Cause… I'm ready to listen. I want to learn about you two and him and that life you lead. I mean, I didn't know he was an alien." Rose and I exchanged uncomfortable and slightly amused looks. "For all I know, he eats grass and safety pins and things."

"Jackie, trust me when I say, us aliens don't eat grass and safety pins. At least, the Doctor and I don't," I said coming to the conclusion that it was best to tell her. The blonde woman stared at me for a few seconds before her eyes widened. "Yes, I'm an alien, but before you freak out, I didn't even know until the Doctor told me. He figured it out and then told me, I'm still getting used to it myself." Jackie was still staring at me.

"You look human," she said.

"No, you and I look Time Lord. That's what the Doctor is, by the way. The Time Lords came before my race and the humans."

"What are you called?"

"I'm an Incola," I said, the word sending a wave of comfort over me. "Oh, and the Doctor will have sheppard's pie."

"You're going to cook for him?" Rose asked Jackie.

"What's wrong with that?" Jackie asked, slightly defensive.

"He's finally met his match," Rose muttered, not answering Jackie's question. I bit back a laugh while sharing a smile with Rose.

"You're not too old for a slap, you know!" Jackie retorted, making Rose and I laugh. "You can go and visit your gran tomorrow.' Jackie got up and made her way into the kitchen. She continued talking and a phone rang. I looked down at my pocket, completely forgetting that Rose's phone was still there. I took it out, and stared at the caller ID. It said "TARDIS calling."

"Hello?" I picked up.

"Right, I'll be a couple of hours and then we can go," the Doctor said.

"He's got a phone?" Rose asked.

"You think I can travel through space and time and I haven't got a phone? Huh! Like I said, a couple of hours. I've just got to send out this dispersal. That's cancelling out the Slitheen's advert in case any bargain hunters turn up."

"Um, Doctor? Rose wants me to tell you that Jackie's cooking," I said awkwardly. His reply was exactly how I knew it would be.

"Good, put her on a slow heat and let her simmer."

"Doctor!" I scolded. "She's cooking sheppard's pie for the four of us."

"I don't do that," he told me firmly.

"I know you don't, but you try telling Jackie that," I challenged. "She wants to get to know you."

"Tough. I've got better things to do."

"Rose is complaining, saying that you should come because Jackie's her mother," I told him, feeling like the awkward tween stuck in between a couple passing notes in class.

"Well, she's not mine!"

"Rose says 'that's not fair.'"

"She can stay there if she wants." I told Rose this and she froze.

"But right now, there's this plasma storm brewing in the Horsehead Nebula. Fires are burning, 10 million miles wide. I could fly the TARDIS right into the heart of it then ride the shock wave all the way out. Hurtle right across the sky and end up anywhere. It's her choice." The Doctor hung up and I brought the phone from my ear. I told Rose what he told me and she got up, walking into her room to pack. I sighed before turning off the TV and following her in there to help.

"I was thinking. I've got that bottle of Amaretto from New Year's Eve. Does he drink?" I heard Jackie ask, coming towards Rose's room. I saw her face fall when she saw Rose stuffing clothes into a backpack. "I was wondering whether he drinks or not."

"Yeah, he does," I answered sadly.

"Don't go, sweetheart," Jackie begged Rose. The girl paused in her packing and looked back at her mom. She didn't answer, but gave her mom and sad look. I came and put my arm around Jackie as Rose started packing again. Sometime later, Rose and I were exiting the apartment building before making our way towards the TARDIS. I looked up and saw the Doctor talking to Mickey and I ran over to them right as the Doctor invited Mickey to come with us.

"I can't. This life of yours… It's just too much. I couldn't do it." I frowned. I had grown fond of Mickey over the past day. He had comforted me when I was in the TARDIS with the headache, and I wouldn't be alive without him.

"Are you sure?" I asked him. He nodded with a small smile.

"Don't tell Rose I said that?" Mickey asked. I laughed and nodded.

"Of course not," the Doctor replied. The Doctor walked back to the TARDIS as Rose and Jackie came up, Jackie begging Rose to stay and saying that she'll do anything.

"I'm not leaving 'cause of you," Rose assured her mother. "I'm travelling, that's all, and then I'll come back."

"But it's not safe."

"Mum, if you saw it out there, you'd never stay home." Rose turned around, taking off her backpack.

"Got enough stuff?" the Doctor asked sarcastically, eying the huge bag in Rose's hands.

"The first time I stepped in there, it was spur-of-the-moment." Rose shoved the bag into the Doctor's arms, making me giggle. "Now, I'm signing up. You're stuck with me." Rose grinned at the Doctor before turning back to Mickey and Jackie to say her goodbyes.

"Come with us, there's plenty of room," Rose said to Mickey. He opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out.

"No chance. He's a liability. I'm not having him on board," the Doctor saved Mickey.

"You'd be dead without him," Rose pointed out.

"My decision is final." Rose apologized to Mickey before he leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips. Rose backed up, a sad look on her face, and Mickey looked at me.

"How's the head?" he asked. I smiled.

"It's a little better. I don't feel like crawling in a hole and dying anymore," I said with a laugh. Mickey laughed too and stepped forward, giving me a quick hug. I returned it before pulling away and giving him a smile.

"Take care, okay?" he asked. I nodded and grinned.

"See you later, Mick." I turned in time to see Rose giving Jackie a hug. I gave to woman one also, before Rose and I walked into the TARDIS. Rose immediately picked up her bag from where the Doctor dropped it, and I gave a meaningful look to the Doctor. He frowned before grinning, realizing what I was asking. He thought for a minute and punched a few buttons on the console.

"First left, second left, past the kitchen, third right, first door on the left." I grabbed Rose's arm and dragged her off. Once we got there, I paused outside the door, seeing the Gallifreyan writing. It read, "Rose." I opened the door, and inside, was a spacious, pink and purple room. Rose gasped and ran inside, taking in the room.

"Is this mine?" she asked. I nodded.

"Yeah. The Doctor had the TARDIS make up this room for you," I said. Rose was turning around, staring at her dream room in awe. "Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it!" Rose came forward and gave me a quick, surprise hug. "Can I see yours?"

"Rose, you've seen my room," I reminded her.

"No, I've seen the front part of your apartment, twice. I want to see your room." Rose practically dragged me out of her room after dropping her stuff, but stopped. "I don't know the way," she admitted sheepishly. I laughed and started off towards the direction of my room. After getting lost twice, I finally led us there and opened the door with my name in three languages. English, Gallifreyan, and Dicere, the language of the Incolae. Except, the name written in Dicere was "Nyx Oriana," not "Evelyn Viviana Davis." My name, my real name, couldn't be written in anything but Dicere. It was forbidden. I led her past the living room, down the hallway, and into my room. It wasn't as big as Rose's. In fact, it was pretty small compared to her room, but it was big considering the apartment wasn't.

My bedroom was a cream color and all my furniture was black. The carpet matched the cream color of the walls and my sheets did too. My comforter was cream and black while my curtains were black. I walked over to them, pulling them aside. I recoiled slightly. I expected walls behind the windows but instead, behind one of them was a view of a snow covered valley, the valley Aunt Maggie and I lived near. I smiled at it and stroked the wall of my room, knowing I was really stroking the TARDIS.

"Thanks girl," I whispered. There was a soft hum, like the box was replying. My smile widened and I turned to see Rose lying on my bed.

"I like your room, it's very you," she said. I thanked her, and plopped down next to her. Rose and I talked for the next hour before we were both yawning. We had gone four adventures without sleep, and both of us were exhausted. Rose left my room to go to hers and I changed into a pair of boxers and a tank top. I brushed my hair out before re-braiding it and throwing myself onto my bed again.

"Viviana," I heard someone say. I sat up rapidly and looked at the doorway to see Grandpapa standing there.

"Don't do that!" I nearly yelled, a hand over my rapidly beating hearts. Grandpapa laughed lightly before turning serious.

"James told you your real name." It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway. "Do you know why?"

"He just said that he thought I deserved to know my own name," I replied. Grandpapa nodded in agreement.

"Did he tell you why Claire and Margaret didn't want you to know?"

"No, he said he could never get a straight answer from them."

"Do you remember where you've heard your name before?" My eyes narrowed slightly.

"No, but it did sound slightly familiar," I admitted.

"James told you there were multiple prophecies about you. Three to be exact. Two of them haven't even been spoken yet. But the third, was spoken about six months after you were conceived. The King had already named you, but like James said, no one outside of the Incola race knew your name. They just knew there was an Incola princess on the way. There was a Visionary on Gallifrey who came to the King with the prophecy. It was about an Incola by the name of Nyx Oriana and how she would survive the Time War. Not only that, but that she would give all her years to save the last Time Lord."

"The Doctor," I said. Grandpapa nodded. "So, one day, I'm going to die saving the Doctor?" I asked. Grandpapa nodded grimly.

"Your death is a fixed point, Viviana. I'm so sorry," he breathed. I looked away, not quite sure what to feel. Fixed points were bad. If my death was fixed, that meant no one could change it or stop it. If someone did, it could mean the end of time itself. "There's no fixing this. You were named even before the prophecy. It couldn't be about anyone else. I'm so sorry."

"Let me guess. Mom and Aunt Maggie didn't want me knowing this, knowing that I would have to die." I looked back at Grandpapa and he nodded again before fading. I huffed before falling back onto my bed, thoroughly ready for sleep. And that's what I did.


	7. Chapter 7

**Episode 6: "Dalek"**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Old Enemies Trapped in a... Museum? **

"So what is it? What's wrong?" Rose asked as we followed the Doctor out of the TARDIS.

"I don't know. Some kind of signal, drawing the TARDIS off course," he answered while looking around. The room was dark with rows and rows of glass display cases. I couldn't quite make out what was in them but they gave me shivers. I wasn't sure I was going to like what was here.

"Where are we?" Rose asked.

"Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground," The Doctor answered.

"_When _are we?" I continued.

"2012," the Doctor answered going to look at one of the display cases. There was a stuffed alien inside.

"God, that's so close! We should be… 26," Rose calculated. Suddenly, there were a few clicks and the lights turned on.

"Blimey," Rose breathed. "Like a great big museum."

"An alien museum," the Doctor realized. "Someone's got a hobby. They must've spent a fortune on this."

"They've got chunks of meteorite. Moondust," I started listing.

"That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship," the Doctor said pointing to a small, circular piece of machinery.

"That's a bit of Slitheen!" Rose gasped, running towards, sure enough, a stuffed Slitheen arm. "That's a Slitheen arm. It's been stuffed." She stared at the arm while the Doctor and I caught sight of something very familiar.

"Ah, look at you," the Doctor breathed. He walked over to the Cyberman head and I reluctantly followed. I recognized the robot head. It gave me shivers to think I would actually see one, even if it was inactive. A Cyberman had killed my grandfather, the King. The Doctor must've caught wind of my thoughts because he turned around and saw me close to tears. He grabbed my hand gently while half hiding me behind him, like the Cyber head was going to attack.

"What is it?" Rose asked walking up to us.

"An old friend of mine. Well, enemy," the Doctor corrected. "The stuff of nightmares, reduced to an exhibit." He squeezed my hand at that and I got his message. Nothing was going to happen, then why did I feel like… something was going to happen.

"Is that where the signal's coming from?" Rose asked. I tensed at that. What if this was where the signal was coming from?

"Nah, it's stone dead," the Doctor said looking right at me. I relaxed and nodded before giving him a small, sheepish smile. He merely grinned back while nodding, telling me it was understandable and okay. He understood why I reacted the way I did. "The signal's alive. Something's reaching out. Calling for help."

"Doctor! No!" I warned. It was too late, he had touched the glass of the Cyber head's display case. Alarms blared and the three of us looked around. I caught sight of the armed guards coming into the room. Since when did museum security guards look like a SWAT team? They quickly surrounded us with their guns up and cocked.

"If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you two exhibits A and B," Rose said. The Doctor and I briefly acknowledged her before turning back to the guards. As we were lead through the museum, I heard a very quiet, "Bad Wolves 1 and 2 descending. Bad Wolves 1 and 2 descending." That sounded like a helicopter in the background. I looked at the Doctor and Rose, neither had seemed to have noticed it. There were those words again… Bad Wolves. Soon, we were being lead into an office where a young man was showing something to a middle-aged man sitting at the desk. They were in the process of trying to figure out what it was when I caught sight of it. I nearly smiled seeing it, but was offended that they were treating it in the poor fashion they were.

"I really wouldn't hold it like that," the Doctor spoke up.

"Shut it!" a tall, ginger woman said to our right.

"Really though, that's wrong," the Doctor continued.

"Is it dangerous?" the younger, British, boy asked.

"No. It just looks kind of ridiculous," I answered. The Doctor reached forward to take it but paused when the guards cocked their guns. The man at the desk held up his hand, making the guards lower their weapons before handing the instrument to the Doctor. The Doctor then proceeded to hand it to me. My eyes widened slightly before I smiled.

"You just need to be…" the Doctor started while I ran my fingers over the instrument very gently. High pitched, beautiful notes sounded making my smile widen. "Delicate," the Doctor finished, smiling at me. The man leaned over his desk in fascination.

"It's a musical instrument," he realized.

"And it's a long way from home," the Doctor stated.

"Here, let me," the man requested before snatching the instrument out of my hands. I frowned at him as he did so and it only deepened as mechanical and strange noises emitted from the instrument.

"I did say delicate," the Doctor said, hearing the same thing as me.

"It reacts to the gentlest touch," I added. The man smiled as the strange noises turned into the beautiful humming once again.

"Very good, quite the expert," the Doctor said.

"As are you," the man replied before the tune abruptly cut off and he tossed the instrument carelessly over his shoulder. The Doctor and I frowned and looked back at the man in surprise. "Who exactly are you?"

"I'm the Doctor, and who are you?" The Doctor's tone held no warmth.

"Like you don't know," the man countered with arrogance. "We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extraterrestrial artifacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake." The Doctor chuckled.

"Pretty much sums me up, yeah."

"Question is, how did you get in?" the man said. He began to move around the desk. "53 floors down, with your little cat-burglar accomplices." The man eyed Rose and I. "Quite a collector yourself. They're rather pretty. Diggin' the hat, too." The man winked at me and I wrinkled my nose in slight disgust.

"They're going to smack you if you keep talking to them that way," Rose spoke up.

"She's English! Hey, Little Lord Fauntleroy, got you a girlfriend," the man said looking back at the younger man who was showing him the instrument.

"This is Mr. Henry Van Statten," the brit introduced.

"And who's he when he's at home?" Rose asked.

"Mr. Van Statten owns the internet," the brit said. I raised my eyebrows at that.

"Don't be stupid, no one owns the internet," Rose argued. Mr. Van Statten chuckled.

"Let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right, kids?" he asked arrogantly.

"So you're just about an expert in everything, except the things in your museum," the Doctor said knowingly. "What you don't understand, you lock up."

"And you claim greater knowledge?" Van Statten challenged.

"I don't need to make claims. I know how good I am," the Doctor countered.

"And yet I captured you right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there?" Van Statten asked. I furrowed my eyebrows. What the hell was the Cage?

"You tell me," the Doctor requested.

"The Cage contains my one living specimen,"

"And what's that?"

"Like you don't know." My God, I was probably going to OD on testosterone before these two were done.

"Show me."

"You want to see it?"

"Blimey, you can smell the testosterone," Rose voiced my thoughts from earlier.

"Goddard! Inform the Cage we're coming down," Van Statten ordered. The tall woman from earlier nodded and began doing just that. "You, English, look after the blonde. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do." Rose and the boy looked mildly offended and uncomfortable at that. Then, Van Statten turned to me. "You're coming with me down to the Cage."

"Me? Why?" I asked, truly curious.

"The way you handled that instrument suggests you know more than you and the Doctor are letting on," Van Statten said. I didn't have an argument. As arrogant and cocky as he was, he was smart. "Come on, Doctor with no name and Green Eyes, come and see my pet." I wrinkled my nose at Van Statten's nickname for me but followed him and the Doctor into the elevator. The elevator ride down was silent, but awkward and tense. Van Statten had found a way to place me in between him and the Doctor. He was also standing uncomfortably close to me.

'_Hey,'_ I heard in my head. I must've visibly relaxed because the Doctor grinned.

'_Hey.'_

'_You doing all right?' _he asked me.

'_I've been better. Van Statten doesn't smell very good. His cologne's practically choking me.'_ The Doctor bit back a laugh. Suddenly, the doors dinged and we stepped out.

"We've tried everything. The creature has shielded itself, but there's definite signs of life inside," Van Statten began saying. People were bustling around outside the Cage and Van Statten entered the code into the door.

"Inside? Inside what?"

"Welcome back, sir!" A man in an orange suit approached Van Statten. "I've had to take the power down, the Metaltron is resting."

"I'm sorry. Metaltron?" I asked.

"Thought of it myself. Good, isn't it?" Van Statten asked. "Although, I'd much prefer to find out its real name."

"Here, you'd better put these on," the other man said approaching us. He had two sets of black, rubber gloves in his hands. The kind you wear while wearing radiation suits. "The last guy who touched it burst into flames."

"We won't touch it then," the Doctor said while I raised my hands in mock surrender.

"We?" Van Statten asked.

"Yes, we. I'm going in with him. You said yourself I know more than I'm letting on. Why not let me prove it?" I asked. Van Statten didn't have a reply and the Doctor was trying to conceal a smirk.

"Go on, Doctor, Green Eyes. Impress me," Van Statten said. I glared at him.

"Viviana," I said. Van Statten was confused.

"What?"

"My name is Viviana. Not 'she.' Not 'Green Eyes.' Viviana." The Doctor's smirk widened and I even caught Goddard holding one back. The Doctor grabbed my hand and pulled me into the Cage. The room was dark and the closing of the thick door only made it worse. We walked over to a table in the room, only to see torture instruments and tools on it. I held back a small amount of bile as I thought about what these people were doing to this poor creature. Whatever it was, it didn't deserve this.

"Look, I'm sorry about this," the Doctor started while turning to face the creature. The only indication it was there was the small blue light on the other end of the room. "Mr. Van Statten might think he's clever, but never mind him. I've come to help. I'm the Doctor." There was a pause before the creature replied in a scarily familiar kind of voice.

"Doctor," rasped the creature. Twin white lights lit up on either side of the creature with each syllable. My jaw dropped and the Doctor tensed.

"Impossible!" he breathed.

"The Doctor?" the creature rasped, a lot stronger this time. Lights lit up around the creature, revealing it to be a Dalek. It was rusty, battered, and dented. It didn't look like much of a threat, especially with it being chained up, but that didn't stop either of us from being on edge. "Exterminate!" I heard it yell. The Doctor immediately pushed me behind him, trying to protect me but I ran to the door of the Cage.

"Let us out!" I yelled while pounding on the door. The Doctor soon joined me as the Dalek continued to yell "Exterminate!"

"You are an enemy of the Daleks," it stated. "You must be destroyed!" The Doctor tried to push me behind him again but I refused.

"No, Doctor. Look!" I realized. He followed my gaze to its gunstick, which was moving around without shooting. The Doctor slowly released his tight grip on me before grinning.

"It's not working," he realized. The Doctor let out a loud and relieved laugh before giving me a quick, tight hug. "Fantastic! Oh, fantastic! Powerless, look at you. The great space dustbin. How does it feel?"

"Keep back!" the Dalek warned. The Doctor ran forward towards the Dalek.

"What for? What are you going to do to me? If you can't kill, then what are you good for, Dalek?" The Doctor began walking around it. "What's the point of you? You're nothing! What the hell are you here for?"

"I am waiting for orders," the Dalek asked. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. Orders? From whom? There were no more Daleks to get orders from. They were all gone. It must not know that.

"What does that mean?" the Doctor asked.

"I am a soldier. I was bred to receive orders."

"Doctor," I called from the back of the room. Powerless or not, I was not going anywhere near a Dalek. One had killed my father. "It doesn't know." The Doctor's eyes lit up in realization before turning back to the Dalek.

"Well, you're never going to get any. Not ever." The Doctor said. The Dalek didn't reply, its focus was now on me.

"Explain Incola!" it ordered. I flinched when it used the name of my race. I hadn't expected it to recognize me for what I was. However, I bucked up and approached it.

"The Daleks are gone. They're dead and gone. They were wiped out in the last Time War," I explained.

"You lie!" the Dalek screamed in anger.

"I watched it happen," the Doctor said. "I made it happen!"

"You destroyed us?" the Dalek asked. The Doctor paused before turning away.

"I had no choice," he said.

"And what of the Time Lords and Incolae?" the Dalek asked. The Doctor looked down and I knew this was killing him to think about, let alone talk about.

"They're dead. They burned too," I said quietly. I walked up to the Doctor and hesitantly reached out for his hand. He jumped slightly when he felt the contact but soon gripped mine softly. To my surprise, he brought my hand to his lips and kissed it lightly in thanks.

"The end of the Last Great Time War," the Doctor continued. "Everyone lost." I squeezed his hand.

"And the coward survived," the Dalek taunted. The Doctor wasn't swayed.

"Oh, and I caught your little signal. 'Help me.' Poor little thing. But there's no one else coming because there's no one else left."

"I am alone in the universe," the Dalek said. It actually sounded sad. I realized this was how the Doctor felt, all the time. He always felt alone, he knew no one else was alive. Yet, he didn't do anything about it because he knew there was no way to bring them back. He had accepted his fate long ago and that made it all the more worse.

"Yep," the Doctor replied.

"So are you," the Dalek continued. I squeezed the Doctor's hand, but I knew the Dalek wasn't just talking to the Doctor anymore. "We are the same." The Doctor whirled around.

"We're not the same! I'm not… no, wait. Maybe we are. You're right, yeah, okay! You've got a point. 'Cause I know what to do. I know what should happen. I know what you deserve. Exterminate." My eyes widened as the Doctor said this. Before I could react, the Doctor flipped a switch and electrocuted the Dalek. I cringed as it started screaming.

"Have pity!" It screamed.

"Why should I? You never did!" the Doctor shot back. I backed away from both of them towards the door. This wasn't the Doctor. This was the Oncoming Storm I never wanted to meet. I knew the Doctor had a dark side to him, everyone did, but I didn't know it would scare me so much. But no, that's not what it was. I wasn't scared of him, I was scared for him. I was afraid that this darkness would consume him if he stayed here for much longer. Seconds later though, the door of the Cage opened and guards ran past me towards the Doctor. I bolted from the room and tried to get to the elevator but Goddard caught me around the waist and stopped me.

"You've got to destroy it," I whispered, trying to keep my tears at bay. "Please, you can't keep it here. You have to kill it."

"Why?" the normally stoic woman looked startled at my emotional reaction.

"All a Dalek wants is destruction and death. It hates everything that isn't a Dalek and if it gets out…"

"It won't get out," she promised me. A tear fell out of the corner of my eye.

"A Dalek is a genius. Even an injured one like that. Trust me, if it ever gets the chance, it will escape and kill everyone here."

"It won't escape," Goddard told me softly, but she was looking a little doubtful.

"You know, the guards said the same thing to my father when they had a Dalek in custody on my planet. He's dead now. That same Dalek he had captured escaped and killed him and the guards. You have to destroy it!" Two guards escorted the Doctor out of the Cage, Van Statten following close behind. Goddard led me into the elevator after them.

"The metal's just battle armor. The real Dalek creature's inside," the Doctor explained.

"What does it look like?" Van Statten asked.

"A nightmare," the Doctor answered.

"It's a mutation. Dalek's were genetically engineered," I continued, trying to pull myself together. I saw the Doctor give me a funny look, he obviously realized something was wrong. I didn't want to talk to him right now though, so I blocked him out of my mind. I briefly caught the hurt look the Doctor had but ignored it.

"Every emotion was removed, except hate," the Doctor continued.

"Genetically engineered? By whom?" Van Statten asked.

"By a genius, Van Statten. By a man who was king of his own little world. You'd like him," the Doctor said.

"It's been on earth for over 50 years," Goddard started. "Sold at private auction. Moving from one collection to the other. Why would it be a threat now?"

"Because I'm here," the Doctor said. "How did it get to Earth? Does anyone know?"

"The records say it came from the sky like a meteorite. It fell to Earth on the Ascension Islands, burnt in its crater for three days before anybody could get near it. And all that time, it was screaming. Must have gone insane," Goddard explained. The Doctor looked away, a contemplative look on his face.

"It must've fallen through time. The only survivor," he reasoned.

"You talked about a war?" Goddard asked.

"The Time War. The final battle between my people and the Dalek race," the Doctor elaborated.

"How were her people involved?" Goddard asked.

"My people were a cross between collateral damage and caught in the crossfire," I explained.

"But you two survived, also," Van Statten pointed out.

"Not by choice," the Doctor and I replied at the same time.

"This means the Dalek isn't the only alien on Earth, Doctor, Viviana. There are you two. The only ones of your kinds in existence. " Van Statten said. I shifted uncomfortably, thinking about what that could mean for us.

**The Doctor's POV**

I cringed as my arms were hoisted above me and pulled on tightly by the cords, but I could only think about Viviana. She had blocked me after talking to the Dalek and Van Statten had separated us. I could only imagine what was happening to her. I felt terrible about scaring her. I knew I had. The way she had run from the cage and blocked me were huge indicators. She hadn't even looked at me in the elevator. It made me feel even worse. I shook myself from my thoughts when Van Statten spoke.

"Now smile," he said. Then the machine he was standing behind powered up. The red beam hit my bare chest with excruciating pain. It made me groan and squirm in my bonds. It was scanning me.

"Two hearts," I heard Van Statten say after shutting off the scanner. "A binary vascular system! Oh, I am so going to patent this."

"So that's your secret," I panted. "You don't just collect stuff, you scavenge it."

"This technology has been falling to Earth for centuries. All it took was the right mind to use it properly. Oh, the advances I've made from alien junk. You have no idea, Doctor. Broadband? Roswell. Just last year, my scientists cultivated bacteria from the Russian crater, and do you know what we found? The cure for the common cold. Kept it strictly within the laboratory, of course. No need to get people excited. Why sell one cure when I can sell a thousand palliatives?" Van Statten said.

"Do you know what a Dalek is, Van Statten?" I asked, trying to keep my anger for the man at bay. The smile on the man's face fell and he looked at me warily. "A Dalek is honest. It does what it was born to do for the survival of its species. That creature in your dungeon is better than you."

"In that case, I'll be true to myself. And continue." Van Statten started walking away.

"Listen to me! That thing downstairs is going to kill every last one of us!" I tried to reason with him. I began struggling when I saw him walk back over to the scanner.

"Nothing can escape the Cage," Van Statten said. The scanner was on once again. I writhed and grimaced in pain.

"But it's woken up! It knows I'm here. It knows Viviana is here! It's going to get out!" I yelled as the scanner stopped again. "Van Statten, I swear, no one on this base is safe. No one on this planet!" But he didn't listen and the scanner started up once again. The next time the scanner stopped, a voice spoke over an intercom.

"Condition Red. Condition Red. I repeat, this is not a drill!"

"Release me if you want to live," I said to Van Statten. He nodded and I was quickly freed of my bonds. "Viviana too, wherever she is," I growled before walking out of the room. Someone handed me my shirt and jacket and I quickly pulled them on before Van Statten led me away.

"You've got to keep it in that cell," I said running out of an elevator, through Van Statten's office, and towards a monitor.

"Doctor, it's all my fault," Rose said guiltily.

"I've sealed the compartment," someone else in the background of the video said. "He can't get out. That lock's got a billion combinations."

"The Dalek's a genius," I said grimly. "It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one second flat." Goddard, Van Statten, and I watched as the Dalek opened the door of the Cage and came at the people left down there. The guards started firing but Van Statten didn't like that.

"Don't shoot it! I want it unharmed!" Van Statten yelled over the video call.

"Rose, get out of there!" I yelled after swallowing my anger at the impossible man. The Dalek was pushing everyone out of the room. The bullets from the guards' guns were doing nothing to hurt it. Then, the Dalek approached the computer. It raised its sucker cup and slammed it right into the screen. It was absorbing the internet.

"We're losing power. It's draining the base," Goddard stated as we looked at the readings. "Oh, my God. It's draining the entire power supplies of the whole of Utah."

"It's downloading," I said.

"Downloading what?" Van Statten asked.

"Sir! The entire West Coast has gone down!" Goddard spoke.

"It's not just energy. That Dalek's just absorbed the entire Internet," I said. "It knows everything! Where's Viviana?" I asked spinning back towards Van Statten.

"Goddard, go fetch her," Van Statten said. The ginger nodded.

"We've only got emergency power. It's eaten everything else," I continued. "You've got to kill it now!"

"All guards to converge on the Metaltron Cage immediately! And get the alien girl, Viviana out of there!" Goddard spoke into her earpiece. We watched as the guards poured into the hallway outside the Cage and the Dalek soon followed. I watched in horror as it began exterminating them.

"Tell them to stop shooting at it!" Van Statten ordered.

"But it's killing them! Goddard argued.

"They're dispensable, that Dalek is unique." Van Statten grabbed the intercom speaker. "I don't want a scratch on its bodywork! Do you hear me?" No reply. "Do you hear me?" After a couple more seconds, the gunshots stopped, and not because the guards had run out of bullets or retreated. Goddard pulled up a map of the base on the computer.

"That's us right below the surface. That's the Cage, and that's the Dalek," she pointed out.

"This museum of yours. Have you got any alien weapons?" I asked. Viviana would kill me for this, but it had to be done.

"Lots of them, but the trouble is the Dalek's between us and them," Goddard said.

"We've got the keep that thing alive," Van Statten said. "We could just seal the entire vault, trap it down there."

"Leaving everyone trapped with it?" I asked slightly startled at how he was so impassive to the lost lives. "Rose is down there."

"So is Viviana," Goddard added. I paled. I couldn't lose even one of them, let alone both Rose and Viviana.

"I won't let that happen, have you got that?" I threatened. Goddard stifled a scoff and I turned to her.

"Problem?" I asked.

"So, now you suddenly care all about Viviana?" she asked, rather rudely if you ask me. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Did you see her coming out of the Cage, Doctor? She was near tears! I mean, yes, she was afraid of the Dalek. She knew what would happen and she tried to warn me. Hell, she told me about how a Dalek had killed her father and I still didn't listen. But that wasn't it. It wasn't the Dalek she was really afraid of. It was you! You were torturing the thing when it was defenseless! It was chained with no power and no weapons or way to escape and you were torturing it. She was scared of you, Doctor," Goddard ranted. I stumbled back from the force of her words and glare. Had I really scared Viviana that much? Goddard turned away from me with a small look of disgust on her face and she spoke into her earpiece. "What's the status on Viviana?" There was a pause. "Report! Hello? Does anyone copy?" I gulped as Goddard turned back to us, a panicked expression on her face. "No one's answering."

"What do you mean?" I asked, started to really get scared.

"I'm not getting anything. There's no reply. I'm sorry, Doctor." Goddard turned away and I tried to gather myself. I couldn't believe that Viviana was… no she couldn't be! And I had to get back on task. We didn't have much time.

"It has to go through this area. What's that?" I asked looking at the map again.

"Weapons testing," Goddard answered.

"Give guns to technicians, the lawyers, anyone, everyone," I ordered. "Only then have you got a chance of killing it." Goddard got up and I took her spot at the computer.

"I thought you were the great expert, Doctor," Van Statten said from the corner of his office. "If you're so impressive, why not just reason with this Dalek? It must be willing to negotiate. There must be something it needs. Everything needs something."

"What's the nearest town?" I asked.

"Salt Lake City," he answered.

"Population?"

"One million."

"All dead," I said. "If the Dalek gets out, it'll murder every living creature. That's all it needs."

"But why would it do that?" Van Statten nearly yelled.

"Because it honestly believes they should die. Human beings are different and anything different is wrong. It's the ultimate in racial cleansing, and you, Van Statten, you've let it loose." Van Statten's face fell as he truly began to understand the gravity of the situation. Van Statten called up one of his guards.

"The Dalek is surrounded by a force field. The bullets are melting before the even hit home. But it's not indestructible. If you concentrate your fire, you might get through. Aim for the dome, the head, the eyepiece. That's the weak spot," I explained.

"Thank you, Doctor, but I think I know how to fight one single tin robot," the head guard on the other line said. I bit back my anger, was no one going to listen to me about the Dalek? Van Statten and I listened as he ordered his men into position and they waited for the Dalek. After about a minute, a video feed came up.

"It wants us to see," I realized in horror as Goddard, Van Statten, and I watched the Dalek get shot at. Again, it wasn't harmed. After about half a minute, the Dalek elevated itself and shot at a fire alarm. The hoses on the ceiling turned on. Soon enough, the floor was covered in water and everyone was soaked. I realized what the Dalek was doing when it aimed its gunstick at the floor and fired. All the men on the ground floor were electrocuted and fell dead.

"Fall back! Fall back!" I heard the Commander yell. The Dalek merely shot the pipes and electrocuted them too.

"Perhaps it's time for a new strategy," Van Statten decided after a few minutes of dead silence. Goddard and I looked at him incredulously. "Maybe we should consider abandoning this place."

"But there's no power to the helipad, sir," Goddard said, a bitter tone to her voice. "We can't get out."

"You said we could seal the vault?" I started.

"It was designed to be used as a bunker in the event of nuclear war," Van Statten said while moving to the computer. "Steel bulkheads…"

"There's not enough power!" Goddard argued. "Those bulkheads are massive."

"There's the emergency power," I pointed out, "we can reroute that to the bulkhead door."

"We'd have to bypass the security codes. That would take a computer genius," Goddard said.

"Good thing you've got me, then," Van Statten spoke up. I nearly scowled, of all times to be arrogant, this was not one of them.

"You want to help?" I asked, not believing that for a second.

"I don't want to die, Doctor, simple as that." I should've known he was doing it for himself. It was currently taking all my self-control not to punch him. He was the reason Viviana was God knows where. He was the reason we were all in danger. All of this was his fault. "And nobody knows this software better than me." That caught my attention.

"Sir?" Goddard spoke. I followed her gaze to the monitor on the wall.

"I will speak only to the Doctor and the Incola," the Dalek said.

"You're going to get rusty," I said looking at the Dalek in the water. It was my attempt to get my mind off of Viviana and the danger she could be in. However, it was a poor attempt.

"I fed off the DNA of Rose Tyler. Extrapolating the biomass of a time-traveler regenerated me," the Dalek explained.

"What's your next trick?"

"I have been searching for the Daleks," the alien stated.

"Yeah, I saw," I replied beginning to feel a little smug. "Downloading the Internet. What did you find?"

"I scanned your satellites and radio telescopes," the Dalek said.

"And?"

"Nothing. Where shall I get my orders now?"

"You're just a soldier without commands."

"Then I shall follow the Primary Order. The Dalek instinct to destroy. To conquer!"

"What for? What's the point?" The Dalek didn't answer. "Don't you see? It's all gone. Everything you were, everything you stood for."

"Then what should I do?" the Dalek asked.

"All right, then. If you want orders follow this one," I said getting an idea. "Kill yourself."

"The Daleks must survive!" it argued.

"The Daleks have failed!" I yelled. "Why don't you finish the job and make the Dalek's extinct? Rid the universe of your filth! Why don't you just die?"

"You would make a good Dalek," it said. I froze and most of my anger turned into shock. The video feed shut off.

"Seal the vaults," I ordered. Van Statten got to work on the computer.

"I can leech power off the ground defenses, feed it to the bulkheads," he said while I got to work on the other side of the computer. "It's been years since I've had to work this fast!"

"Are you enjoying this?" I asked bitterly.

"Doctor. They're still down there," Goddard spoke up. I quickly called Rose.

"This isn't the best time!" she yelled over the phone.

"Where are you?" I asked getting right to the point.

"Level 49," she answered. I silently cursed.

"You've got to keep moving. The vault is being sealed off up at level 46."

"Can't you stop them closing?" Rose asked.

"I'm the one closing them," I answered grimly. "I can't wait and I can't help you. If you see Viviana get her out too. Now for God's sake, run!"

"Done it! We've got power to seal the bulkheads," Van Statten announced.

"The Dalek's right behind them," Goddard added.

"We're nearly there! Give us two seconds!" Rose cried over the phone.

"Doctor, I can't sustain this power." I looked over at Van Statten. "The whole system is failing. Doctor, you've got to close the bulkheads." I looked away, staring at the Dalek on the computer screen. The Enter button, one button. I looked down at it hesitantly, knowing it had to be done.

"I'm sorry," I said before pressing Enter. Goddard, Van Statten, and I listened as Adam and Rose ran towards the closing bulkhead.

"The vault is sealed," Van Statten said.

"Rose! Where are you? Rose, did you make it?" I called. I heard panting on the

other line before Rose spoke.

"Yeah. Yeah, I made it. But, Doctor…" Rose trailed off and I got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"What is it?"

"It's Viviana… She's the reason I made it out. She came up from behind and

pushed me but she didn't make it." Rose began crying and I heard the British boy, Adam, try to comfort her. "She saved me, Doctor. I'm so sorry." I tore the earpiece off and stared at the wall in horror. Viviana was… She was trapped down there with the Dalek, and it was all my fault. I brought her with me, it was my fault. If she had stayed with Rose then this wouldn't have happened. This was my fault, it was _all_ _my fault_.

"It killed her," I breathed.

"I'm sorry," Van Statten said. He actually did sound sorry but I looked at him incredulously.

"I said I'd protect her. She was only here because of me and you're sorry? I could've killed that Dalek in its cell, but you stopped me." I was getting angry and Van Statten could tell.

"It was the prize of my collection!" he protested.

"Your collection? Well, was it worth it? Worth all those men's deaths? Worth making one more alien race extinct? Worth Viviana?" I yelled. "Let me tell you something, Van Statten. Mankind goes into space to explore. To be part of something greater-"

"Exactly! I wanted to touch the stars," Van Statten said.

"You just want to drag the stars down and stick them underground, underneath tons of sand and dirt, and label them," I shot at him. "You're about as far from the stars as you can get." Van Statten stood there, speechless. "And you took Viviana down with you. She was 19 years old." I looked down, the real weight of the situation falling upon me, until a few seconds later when Adam and Rose walked out of the elevator and into Van Statten's office. Rose's makeup was smeared and her eyes were red. A few fresh tears were falling down her face. She immediately stepped into my arms and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, knowing exactly the pain she was feeling right now.

"Open the bulkhead or the Incola dies," I heard the Dalek say. I pulled away from Rose and spun around to see the monitor turned on. Viviana was standing there, the Dalek's gunstick trained on her. Rose let out a relieved laugh, but all I could do was stare.

"You're alive?" I eventually got out.

"Can't get rid of me that easily, Doc." I let a small smile come to my face. I was starting to like her little nickname for me.

"I thought you were dead," I breathed. I felt my eyes get slightly teary, but I held them back.

"Open the bulkhead!" the Dalek demanded.

"Doctor, don't do it!" Viviana cried.

"What use are emotions, if you will not save the woman you love?" My eyes widened a fraction at that. It wasn't natural to hear a Dalek talking about love. They hated emotions, any emotion, especially love. That and… I wasn't sure how I felt about Viviana. I didn't love her, no, but there was something about her. She was so unique and so special in many ways. She… intrigued me. I just couldn't figure her out. She was like a riddle I would do anything to solve. I looked over at Van Statten.

"I killed her once. I can't… I won't do it again." With that, I pressed Enter, opening the bulkhead.

**Viviana's POV**

I watched as the bulkhead opened. I cursed the Doctor in my head. He really shouldn't have done that. It would've been much better for everyone if he left it closed. Now the Dalek was going to get out and probably wipe out the state of Utah. Then again, something seemed to be wrong with it. It couldn't kill me and just now it was talking about love. That was not normal Dalek behavior. The Dalek and I travelled through the now open bulkhead and to the nearest elevator. It's safe to say the ride up was awkward. It wasn't every day I got to ride in an elevator with a killer pepper pot. Its gunstick wavered slightly, making me take a step to the left.

"You shouldn't kill them. You didn't kill me," I began.

"But why not?" The Dalek's head swiveled around and its eyepiece was right in my face. "Why are you alive? My function is to kill. What am I? What am I?" The Dalek began jerking slightly and I took another step to the left. This was good though, if the Dalek was beginning to doubt and question itself, that meant there was a chance everyone could get out alive. Well, everyone the Dalek hadn't already killed. We reached the first floor and the doors opened to reveal Van Statten. He looked scared and about to run away when I stopped him.

"Wait! It's beginning to question itself. Don't move," I instructed. The Dalek rolled towards the man.

"Van Statten. You tortured me. Why?" the Dalek asked threateningly. Van Statten began

to walk backwards.

"I wanted to help you. I just… I don't know. I was trying to help," Van Statten stuttered. "I thought if we could get through to you, if we could mend you… I wanted you better. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I swear, I just wanted you to talk!" The Dalek had back Van Statten up into a wall and I caught sight of Goddard in the corner of the office. She gave me a weak smile which I returned.

"Then hear me talk now," the Dalek began. "Exterminate! Exterminate!"

"No! Please!" I rushed in front of Van Statten and stood between him and the Dalek. "He tortured me too and I'm not trying to kill him. Please, death is not the answer. Don't kill him. Please, there must be something else besides death and destruction that you want. I promise, I'll get it for you. Not even the Doctor will stop me," I promised. I knew I would probably pay for this later, but I was willing to do whatever it took to stop the alien from claiming more lives. The Dalek looked between me and Van Statten before turning its eyepiece on me again.

"I want freedom," it said. I almost cocked my head in confusion. Since when did a Dalek want freedom? Then again, this Dalek had been locked up for over fifty years. It had been tortured and experimented on. Anything would want freedom after that. I nodded and began to lead the Dalek away from Van Statten's office towards the outside of the bunker. After a few minutes though, it stopped. I watched as it shot the ceiling, creating a hole. Sunlight poured through making me smile. I honestly thought I would never see sunlight again.

"Is this what you wanted? To feel the sunlight?" I asked the Dalek softly.

"How does it feel?" it asked.

"Why don't you open up and feel for yourself," I suggested. I watched as the Dalek's armor opened and revealed the creature inside. I was surprised by what I saw. It didn't look like a hating, bloodthirsty creature. In fact, it looked kind of pathetic and pitiful. It really was a mutant. Its one eye was huge and its tentacles were slimy and many. Its brain was visible; actually, it was more almost detached from the rest of its body. It stuck far above its head and there was no visible skin on it. I felt a small smile come to my face as the Dalek started reaching towards the sun with its tentacles.

"Get out of the way!" I jumped and spun around to see the Doctor running forward, a huge alien gun in hand.

"Doctor, put the gun down. You're better than this," I tried. He ignored me.

"That thing killed hundreds of people!" he protested.

"I know. And I know it deserves nothing more than the worst of deaths, but I just want this all to stop. No more death, Doctor. Let the casualties cease and the Time War end."

"The Daleks destroyed my home. My people."

"They destroyed mine too, Doctor! Don't think you're the only one left in existence who has suffered losses from the war. But, Doctor, look." I stepped aside and brought the Dalek into the Doctor's view.

"What's it doing?" he asked, thoroughly confused.

"It's reaching out for the sun, Doctor. That's what it wants. It couldn't kill me. I convinced it not to kill Van Statten. It's changing," I said. I looked at the Doctor with pleading eyes. "Please, I can't see you change back into the man you were during the Time War. That man scares me, but you aren't him anymore. Please, don't let the darkness lingering inside you from the war consume you." The Doctor lowered the gun in defeat.

"Why do we survive?" the Dalek croaked.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied.

"I am the last of the Daleks."

"You're not, though," I said, taking a few steps towards the Doctor.

"Rose did more than regenerate you," the Doctor began. "You've absorbed her DNA. You're mutating."

"Into what?" it asked.

"Something new," the Doctor and I answered at the same time.

"I can feel," the Dalek croaked, "so many ideas. So much darkness. Viviana, give me orders." I sighed and bowed my head.

"Are you sure this is what you really want?" I asked weakly.

"Order my destruction! Obey! Obey! Obey!" the Dalek cried out.

"Do it. I give you orders to kill yourself," I whispered.

"Are you frightened, Viviana, last of the Incolae?" the Dalek asked me. I nodded. "So am I. Exterminate." I stepped back and watched as the Dalek levitated and part of its armor came off, creating a barrier around itself. Electricity shot throughout the sphere and within seconds, the Dalek was dead and gone.

I turned around and faced the Doctor. We just stood there, staring at each other before I ran forward. The Doctor met me halfway and I half-threw myself at him. The Doctor caught me and spun me around in a hug. I clung to him tightly as he set me back down on the ground and he didn't let go of the embrace either. Another minute passed by before we finally pulled away and when we did, we both let out nervous laughs.

"That was some adventure. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a few relaxing days in the TARDIS," I said. The Doctor smiled before turning serious again.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded but the Doctor's face didn't change.

"What?" I asked.

"Your nose is bleeding," he said before reaching out and wiping his finger under my nose. I was surprised to find out he was right, but soon figured out why I had the bloody nose. I reached to the back of my neck and tore off the sensors the staff had stuck on me. "What's this?" the Doctor asked.

"I think it's a mind suppressor. It cut off our mental bond which was why we weren't able to communicate. I wasn't blocking you from the time Van Statten had us locked up," I explained. The Doctor got a dark look in his eyes.

"What else did he do to you?" he growled.

"I felt the effects of his scanner and the mind suppressor. That was it. They didn't have all that much time to do anything else," I said.

"You're sure you're okay?" the Doctor asked again. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes. Now let's go find Rose." I grabbed the Doctor's hand and dragged him off in the direction of the TARDIS. Rose was waiting there for us when we got there.

"Viviana!" she yelled. She hugged me tightly and I returned it. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a little worn out," I admitted. Rose sighed in relief and gave me another hug.

"Little piece of home. Better than nothing," the Doctor spoke up, staring at the TARDIS.

"Is that the end of it? The Time War?" Rose asked.

"We're the only ones left," the Doctor said grabbing my hand. "We win. How about that?"

"The Dalek survived. Maybe some of your people did too," Rose suggested looking at us. The Doctor shook his head.

"We'd know," he said. "In here." The Doctor pointed to his head while I pointed to mine.

"It feels like there's no one else," I said quietly.

"Well, then, good thing I'm not going anywhere," Rose said with a smile.

"Yeah," the Doctor and I replied at the same time.

"We better get out. Van Statten's disappeared. They're closing down the base," Adam said as he jogged up to us. "Goddard says they're going to fill it full of cement. Like it never existed!"

"It's about time," Rose said.

"I'll have to go back home," Adam realized.

"Better hurry up, then. Next flight to Heathrow leaves at 1500 hours," the Doctor said.

"Adam was saying that all his life, he wanted to see the stars," Rose spoke up. My eyes widened at what she was suggesting.

"Tell him to go stand outside, then," the Doctor replied.

"He's all on his own, Doctor. And he did help."

"What are you talking about?" Adam cut in. "We've got to leave!"

"Plus, he's a bit pretty," the Doctor pointed out. I wrinkled my nose slightly.

"I hadn't noticed," Rose replied smoothly. The Doctor looked at me but I merely shrugged.

'_He's not my boyfriend.'_ The Doctor looked back at Rose and gave in.

"On your own head," he said.

"What are you doing? She said cement," Adam spoke up again. Rose, the Doctor, and I merely ignored him as we stepped into the TARDIS. The machine immediately gave a hum of greeting which I couldn't help but smile at. Rose began explaining the TARDIS to poor Adam who looked petrified as the Doctor flew the box into the Vortex. I turned and walked down the hallway, needing to relax for a bit.

"Hey baby girl," I said going to stroke one of the walls of the TARDIS. She hummed, almost like she was asking what I needed. "Where's the library?" The TARDIS opened a new hallway and I went down it. I opened the door at the end of the hallway and stepping in, a smile coming to my face. I walked around the large library mystified. I had to laugh though when I saw the swimming pool. I would have to ask the Doctor about that one. I mean, a swimming pool in a library? The TARDIS hummed again and I followed it. She soon led me to a small room, labeled with my name. I raised an eyebrow and went in only to find a room full of all my favorite books. I smiled contently and thanked the TARDIS before plucking a random book off a shelf and burying my nose in it. I was so lost in the book that I didn't notice the Doctor walk in.

'_We need to talk, Viviana.'_

_'About what?'_

_'Don't do that. We need to talk about what happened back there.'_ I set down my book and moved over on the couch I was sitting on. The Doctor came and sat next to me.

"Do you want to go home?" the Doctor asked me. I looked at him with a sharp intake of air.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" I held my tongue on telling him that I considered the TARDIS my home already.

"Because if you do, I understand," the Doctor continued not looking at me. I studied him for a moment before looking away.

"This is about my reaction to the Dalek," I realized. "How I ran out of the Cage."

"You were frightened of me." I felt my anger flare up at his tone. He was convinced of that.

"That's not true! I just…" I trailed off and the Doctor got up to leave. "I was scared of what would happen if you continued." That got him to stop.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

"You weren't yourself back there. You had turned into the Oncoming Storm, the man you were during the Time War. I get that it was a Dalek, but there was no need to torture it. Van Statten's staff were already doing that. The Dalek was chained up, weak, and powerless. There was no need to torture it."

"So you were afraid of me." The Doctor scowled and looked away from me.

"I didn't say that," I quickly backtracked.

"Then what, Viviana?" the Doctor demanded. He was getting frustrated and upset. He genuinely believed I was afraid of him. But that wasn't all. He was thinking of his people. I could see the pain shining through his eyes. I didn't reply, but merely stood up and approached him. I reached forward and wrapped my arms around his torso, offering him my support. I felt the Doctor tense, but a few seconds later, he relaxed. He slowly wrapped his arms around me, as if unsure of what to do. I merely tightened my hold on him and he finally seemed to register what I was doing. The Doctor's grip on me tightened considerably and I hugged him just as tight.

"Oh, Viviana. They're all gone. All dead. I killed them. It's my fault." The Doctor muttered as we hugged. I remained silent as he continued muttering things like that. After a few minutes, I pulled away and looked at him.

"I'm going to let you in on a secret, Doctor." His eyebrows furrowed slightly. "You know how Grandpapa told me stories about you right?" He nodded. "Well, despite not really believing them, you became my hero. I didn't care that it was highly impossible you existed. I knew what you did, and despite that, I didn't blame you. The Time War would've ripped the Universe apart and nothing would've stopped it. The Time Lords and Daleks were too powerful. You saved the entire Universe. Then, I learned my planet and people were lost in the war also. I expected myself to be angry or blame you, but I didn't. War has casualties and I accepted that. Saving the Universe comes with a price, and you have paid more dearly than anyone. But it's time to move on. The Time War is over. The man you were before is no longer needed. You need to forgive yourself and move on." My lecture went uninterrupted.

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked softly.

"Travel, save people, meet others. Do what you're doing now. Just don't let the pain, guilt, and memories from the war consume you. That means you'll turn back into the man you were. That's the man the universe fears. You're not that man anymore. You're the man I grew up looking up to, the man I trust." I was shocked to see the tears shining in the Doctor's eyes and I accidently caught wind of his thoughts.

_The Doctor saw the unfailing honesty and trust in Viviana's eyes when she said all these things to him. Never before had he been so touched. It was going to be hard, forgiving himself and moving on from the war. He was still so raw from it. But right then, he promised to himself that he would try, for Viviana if not himself. He knew she was right. He had to move on. _

I stepped away from the Doctor, having gotten my point across to him and sat back down on the couch. He turned to leave, but paused.

"I try to be a good man, Viviana. I try to be one you can trust," he said. I looked up and smiled at him.

"You are, Doctor. Who are you trying to prove yourself to? Me? Or yourself?" The Doctor paused before smiling and walking out. I turned back to my book, but it wasn't thirty minutes before I felt my eyes drooping. I sighed and put down the book before stretching out on the couch. Soon, I felt myself fall into a deep, much needed sleep. I don't know how long it was before I woke, but the TARDIS was moving. I pushed my jacket off of me… I didn't remember using my jacket as a blanket… or taking off my hat. I shrugged it off and made my way towards the console room and saw Rose and the Doctor there. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Where's Adam?" I asked. Both Rose and the Doctor scowled and I was left wondering what happened.

"Come on, Viv. I'll explain," Rose said. She and I walked to her bedroom before we sat down and she told me everything from the people with doors in their heads to the Jagrafess controlling the space station. Apparently, Adam had installed a door in his head and the staff of the station used it against him to threaten the Doctor. Not only that, but he had called him home and left a message full of information from the future.

"That's awful…" I breathed when she was done. I was suddenly really glad I had skipped out on that adventure.

"So, what did you and the Doctor talk about earlier?" Rose asked me. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What?"

"When we got back to the TARDIS from Van Statten's museum, you disappeared. Not five minutes later, the Doctor walked off, mumbling something about having to find you," Rose explained.

"Something happened when we were down in the Cage, Rose," I said after a moment's consideration. "You have to understand, the Doctor is fresh from the Time War. When he saw the Dalek, he snapped. I got frightened and ran from the Cage. He thought I was afraid of him, and that I wanted to go home, but I don't and I'm not afraid of him." I paused, watching Rose's reaction.

"But, he's good. He's a good man," she said.

"I told him that. The problem is, he doesn't believe it. He's going to need time, Rose," I said sadly.

"Then, we'll be there for him," Rose said with a determined smile. I smiled back.

"Yes, we are."


	8. Chapter 8

**Episode 8 "Father's Day"**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Mistakes and Forgiveness**

"Peter Alan Tyler, my dad. The most wonderful man in the world. Born 15th September, 1954." The Doctor and I listened as Rose described her father to them. She continued to describe how her mother talked about him. Apparently, like us, he was always having adventures. "That's what Mum always says," Rose continued. "So, I was thinking, could we go and see my dad when he was still alive?" The Doctor and I were sitting on the captain's chair listening to her request, but I remained silent, knowing the question was meant for the Doctor.

"Where's this come from all of a sudden?" the Doctor asked.

"All right, if we can't, if it goes against the laws of time or something, then nevermind, just leave it," Rose took this as a "no." I caught her sad tone though and frowned.

"No, I can do anything," the Doctor said. "I'm just more worried about you."

"I want to see him," Rose replied immediately.

"Your wish is my command. But be careful what you wish for." The Doctor grinned slightly and got up to start up the TARDIS. I moved to help him fly her, as he always did a terrible job by himself. Soon, we landed and walked out to see the wedding of Peter and Jackie.

"I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Prentice," the registrar said.

"I, Peter Alan Tyler," Peter repeated, "take you, Jacqueline Susanne, Suzette… Anita…" I bit my lip as I looked between Jackie and Rose. Both of them looked equally disappointed. Peter looked back at the registrar embarrassed.

"Just carry on," Jackie said. "It's good enough for Lady Di." I elbowed the Doctor softly when I heard him holding back laughter.

"I thought he'd be taller," Rose muttered. I ignored the pair and listened as the wedding carried on. After that, Rose told us about how he died. It was a hit and run on the day of a friend's wedding. He was all alone and died before the ambulance got there.

"I want to be that someone, so he doesn't die alone," Rose told the Doctor later when we were back in the TARDIS.

"November 7th?" he asked.

"1987," Rose finished. The Doctor and I started up the TARDIS and flew her to the right date and location. The three of us stepped out of the TARDIS and looked around.

"It's so weird," Rose stated. "The day my father died. I thought it'd be all sort of grim and stormy. It's just an ordinary day."

"The past is another country," the Doctor told her. "1987 is just the Isle of Wight." I looked at Rose.

"Are you sure about this, Rose? This isn't going to be easy," I told her speaking from experience. Watching anyone die was hard. Watching family die was downright painful and heartbreaking.

"Yeah," she answered immediately. Despite that, she grabbed my hand. I squeezed it back for reassurance. The three of us walked towards where we knew Peter was going to eventually show up. After a few minutes, we stopped at a street curb.

"This is it. Jordan Road," Rose said. "He was late. He'd been to get a wedding present, a vase. Mum always said, 'that stupid vase.'" The three of us looked to the right as Peter pulled around the corner. "He got out of his car… and crossed the road. Oh, God. This is it." I squeezed Rose's hand again, understanding how she was feeling at the moment. The Doctor grabbed her other hand as Peter got out of the car and didn't see the driver coming around the corner. Rose buried her head in my shoulder as the car hit Peter. I winced and watched as the vase dropped and broke and the man drove off.

"Go to him. Quick," the Doctor ushered her. Rose stood paralyzed, looked at her father in the middle of the road. I wanted to go out to him myself, but it wasn't my place. This was for Rose. In the end, she couldn't do it and we stood against a brick wall, thinking about what just happened.

"It's too late now," Rose spoke up. She had tear streaks on her face and she was choked up. I heard an ambulance coming in the distance. I closed my eyes, knowing what that meant. "By the time the ambulance got there, he was dead. He can't die on his own. Can I try again?" I bit my lip, stopping myself from voicing my concerns about her request. I was getting another one of my feelings. But soon, we were standing behind ourselves, watching the event from farther away.

"Right, that's the first us," the Doctor explained. "It's a very bad idea, two sets of us being here at the same time. Just be careful they don't see us. Wait until she runs off and they follow, then go to your dad. After watching Peter roll up the curb again, Rose spoke.

"I can't do this."

"You don't have to," I assured her softly. Watching a family member die was hard, I knew, and no one should have to go through that, especially not Rose.

"But this is the last time we can be here," the Doctor warned her. The three of us watched as Peter got out of the car and I suddenly felt someone fly past me.

"Rose, no!" the Doctor called. My eyes widened at what she was doing. She was running to save her father.

"Rose!" I called, but I knew it was no use. Seconds later, Rose tackled her father to the ground, out of the way of the car, and the other us disappeared. The Doctor and I watched in shock and slight anger as Rose spoke to her father.

"I did it. I saved your life," Rose breathed.

"Blimey, did you see the speed of it? Did you get his number?" Peter asked as he hauled himself off the ground.

"I really did it. Oh, my God, look at you, you're alive," Rose said. "That car was going to kill you."

"Give me some credit, I did see it coming," Peter replied. "I wasn't going to walk under it, was I?"

"I'm Rose," she introduced as she stared at her dad in awe.

"That's a coincidence. That's my daughter's name."

"That's a great name. Good choice. Well done."

"Right, I better shift. I've got a wedding to go to," Peter told her.

"Is that Sarah Clark's wedding?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, are you going?" Peter asked.

"Yeah," Rose replied quickly.

"Do you, your friend, and her boyfriend need a lift?" Peter asked. I completely ignored how Peter called the Doctor my boyfriend and stared at Rose in horror. I couldn't believe she just did that. The feeling in my gut got worse and worse, to the point where I felt sick. I didn't even realize that the Doctor had taken my hand, but I did notice the dark look on his face as he looked at Rose and Peter. Not too much later, the Doctor and I were following Rose and Peter into the flat. It was the same flat Rose and her mother lived in, only much more cluttered and messy.

"Right, there we go, sorry about the mess," Peter apologized. "If you want a cup of tea, kitchen's down there, milk's in the fridge. It would be wouldn't it? Where else would you put the milk? Mind you, there's always the windowsill outside. I always thought if someone invented a windowsill with special compartments, one for milk, one for yoghurt, make a lot of money out of that. Sell it to students and things. I should write that down. Anyway, nevermind that. Excuse me, I got to go and change." The Doctor and I both nodded at him politely while Rose began reminiscing.

"All the stuff Mum kept. His stuff. She kept it all packed away in boxes in the cupboard. She used to show me when she had a bit to drink," Rose told us. The Doctor stood a little ways away from her, a dark look on his face. I stepped away from the two of them, sensing this wasn't going to be pretty. "Here it is, on display. Where it should be. Third prize at the bowling. First two got to go to Didcot. Health drinks. Tonics Mum used to call them. He made his money selling this Vitex stuff. He had all sorts of jobs, he was so clever." Rose was unaware of the Doctor's gaze as she looked at everything throughout the flat. "Solar power. Mum said he was going to do this. Now he can." Rose looked up at the Doctor and found the both of us staring at her. "Okay, I'll tell him you two aren't dating."

"When we met I said, 'Travel with me in space.' You said 'no.'" I closed my eyes, knowing where this was going. "Then I said, 'Time machine.'" The Doctor looked at her and Rose got what he was implying.

"It wasn't some big plan," she denied. "I just saw it happening, and I thought, 'I can stop it.'" The Doctor looked pained at her explanation. I admit, I wasn't going to take sides, but she didn't sound very convincing.

"I did it again," the Doctor muttered. I winced. "I picked another stupid ape. I should have known. It's not about showing you the universe. It never is. It's about the universe doing something for you."

"So, it's okay when you go to other times and you save people's lives but not when it's me saving my dad?" Rose asked incredulously.

"I know what I'm doing, you don't," the Doctor shot back. "Two sets of us being there made that a vulnerable point."

"But he's alive."

"My entire planet died, my whole family. Viviana's entire family and planet died. Do you think it never occurred to us to go back and save them?"

"But it's not like I've changed history!" Rose protested. "Not much. I mean, he's never going to be a world leader, he's not going to start World War III."

"Rose, there's a man alive in the world who wasn't alive before," the Doctor explained. "An ordinary man. That's the most important thing in creation. The whole world's different because he's alive."

"Would you rather him dead?" Rose spat.

"I'm not saying that-" the Doctor backtracked.

"No, I get it! For once, you're not the most important man in my life," Rose cut him off. My eyes widened.

"Rose!" I scolded. Both of them ignored me.

"Let's see how you get on without me. Give me the key," the Doctor demanded. Rose faltered. "The TARDIS key. If I'm so insignificant, give it me back."

"All right then, I will." Rose reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the key. She dropped it into the Doctor's hand and I couldn't take it anymore. I ran from the flat. I heard both the Doctor and Rose call after me but I ignored them and ran as fast as I could back to the TARDIS. Once I got there, I collapsed against it and held back tears. I couldn't believe the Doctor would really just do that to her. They were both angry and emotional, and yes, what Rose did was wrong, but I felt he overreacted. And now, I was going to lose Rose. Minutes later, the Doctor came storming up to the TARDIS, but stopped short when he saw me.

"Viviana-"

"There was no reason for either of you to act that way!" I blew up on him. "Yes, what Rose did was wrong. I don't have a good feeling about this. In fact, I have a really bad feeling about this. But Rose didn't understand and neither of us told her what would happen if she saved him." I saw annoyance arise in the Doctor's eyes.

"She should've known better. She wanted to go to him and be with him when he died, not save him. She has no idea the consequences this could have."

"None of us do. But Doctor, think about it from her point of view. She's never known her father. All she's known is the man in Jackie's stories and the things in boxes. Anyone would do what she did. I'm not saying what she did was right, it was far from it, but at least try to understand why she did it." The Doctor didn't reply as he unlocked the TARDIS and stepped inside. I stood up and made to follow him, but stopped dead seconds later. The TARDIS was gone… it was just a normal police box. The Doctor pushed on the sides of the box, as if trying to make sure it was real. He and I exchanged panicked looks before uttering the same thing.

"Rose." The Doctor and I took off together.

"The wedding! She's going to the wedding!" I cried. The Doctor and I made our way towards the church. It took longer than I had hoped, but the church eventually came into view and I saw Rose on the sidewalk.

"Rose!" the Doctor called. Rose turned around, a big smirk on her face. "Get in the church!" It fell when she realized something was wrong. My gaze was pulled to the sky and Rose followed it. Soon, a big, black, winged creature appeared and came after Rose. I put on a burst of speed and tackled her to the ground as one of them dived for her.

"Get in the church!" the Doctor repeated as he helped us up. People picked up their things and rushed to get inside, but not before another creature appeared.

"Oh, my God. What are they?" a woman cried.

"Inside!" the Doctor yelled. The creature attacked and panic arose through the people. I began ushering them inside as the creatures attacked. The Doctor was the last one inside and closed the doors quickly. Everyone looked around as the creatures screeched around the church.

"They can't get in. Old windows and doors," the Doctor explained. "Okay, the older something is, the stronger it is. What else?" The creatures screeched some more.

"Someone go and check the other doors. Quick," I said. Some people rushed off and I followed the Doctor.

"What's happening? What are they? What are they?" Jackie asked frantically. I looked at her in shock. I had expected to see her, but she was just so much younger, and her hair…

"There's been an accident in time. A wound in time," the Doctor told her. "They're like bacteria taking advantage."

"What do you mean? Time? What are you jabbering on about?" Jackie demanded. I bit my tongue. I was close to yelling at her. Normally I liked Jackie, but we just didn't have the time.

"I might've known you'd argue," the Doctor muttered.

"Jackie, I like you, I really do, but right now you need to stop complaining and listen to us," I told her.

"How do you know my name?" she demanded. "I've never met you in my life!"

"And you never will unless we sort this out," the Doctor told her. "If you don't mind, I've waited a long time to say this, Jackie Tyler, do as I say! Go and check the doors." The Doctor loomed over her and her eyes widened.

"Yes, sir," she obeyed.

"I should've done that ages ago," the Doctor said. I couldn't help but let out a small laugh at that. Then, a man came up to us. I think it was Stuart, the groom.

"My dad was out there," he said. My heart gave a small lurch at that.

"You can mourn him later," the Doctor told him. "Now we've got to concentrate on keeping ourselves alive.

"My dad had-"

"There is nothing I can do for him."

"Doctor! Shut up," I told him. I nodded at Stuart for him to continue.

"He had this phone thing. I can't get it to work. I keep getting this voice." I took the large phone from Stuart before the Doctor could, pushed a few numbers, and put it to my ear.

"Watson, come here. I need you. Watson, come here. I need you." I took the phone from my ear, confused.

"But… that doesn't make sense. That's the very first phone call," I said. The Doctor put the phone to his ear and raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Alexander Graham Bell," he said.

"Well, this means the phones are useless," I realized.

"Someone must call the police," Stuart said.

"The police can't help you now, no one can," the Doctor told him. "Nothing in this universe can harm those things. Time's been damaged and they've come to sterilize the wound." The Doctor walked right up to Rose as he said this. "By consuming everything in sight."

"Is this because…" Rose asked shakily. The Doctor didn't answer. "Is this my fault?" The Doctor walked past Rose and I walked up to her. Rose looked heartbroken as she realized the gravity of the situation. I gave her a quick hug before walking off to help the Doctor. However, I caught Peter's eye and saw the thoughtful look on his face. I answered some people's questions and rushed to help check doors. I saw the Doctor and Peter in the back of the church and joined them.

"There's smoke coming up from the city, but no sirens," Peter said. "I don't think it's just us. I think these things are all over the place. Maybe the whole world." I watched out the window in curiosity as I saw a car appear out of thin air. It was the car that was supposed to hit Peter. The driver threw an arm up before swerving and disappearing. The Doctor and I exchanged looks.

"Was that a car?" Peter asked.

"Don't worry about it," I told him. "It's not important." The Doctor grabbed my hand and we rushed off, leaving Peter looking out the window. He and I soon separated and I was about to round a corner before stopping.

"This mate of yours… what do you mean this is your fault?" Peter asked Rose. I hid behind the corner. I knew I shouldn't eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it.

"Don't know… just… everything," Rose replied. I could tell that she had either just stopped crying or was very close to it. Her voice was quiet and raw.

"I gave you my car keys," Peter said. "You don't give your keys to a complete stranger. It's like I trusted you. The moment I met you, I just did." Rose remained silent. "A wound in time. You called me Dad. I can see it… my eyes… Jackie's attitude… You sound like her when you shout…" I could sense that Peter had worked it out and left to give the pair their privacy. I walked back into the main part of the church, seeing the Doctor talking into Stuart and Sarah.

"Can you save us?" I heard Sarah ask. I froze and so did the Doctor.

"Who are you two, then?" the Doctor asked coming up to them.

"Sarah Clark and Stuart Hoskins," I answered for them. I came up and stood next to the Doctor. "The bride and groom plus one. Is it a boy or girl?" I asked.

"I don't know. I don't want to know, really," Sarah answered.

"You want to be surprised," I realized. She nodded.

"How did all this get started?" the Doctor asked.

"Outside the Beatbox Club, 2:00 in the morning," Stuart started.

"Street corner. I'd lost my purse, didn't have money for a taxi," Sarah continued.

"I took her home," Stuart said.

"Then what?" I asked.

"Asked her for a date?" the Doctor asked.

"Wrote his number on my hand," Sarah replied.

"Never got rid of her since. My dad said…" Stuart faltered.

"I don't know what this is about and I know we're not important…" The Doctor and I both looked up for that, genuinely shocked.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" I asked her. Sarah didn't answer.

"I've travelled to all sorts of places, done things you couldn't even imagine. But you two. Street corner, 2:00 in the morning, getting a taxi home. I've never had a life like that. Yes, I'll try and save you," the Doctor told her.

"We both will," I promised. Sarah smiled at us through teary eyes and I smiled back. I moved past the couple to check on more people when I saw Jackie coming by with a little boy that looked suspiciously like Mickey. She sat down with baby Rose and sighed.

"Are you okay?" I asked her. She scoffed.

"As okay as I can be during the end of the world."

"Point taken," I replied. I sat down next to her on the bench, just offering my support.

"Can you help us?" she asked. I looked at her.

"The Doctor and I can certainly try," I said. Jackie looked a little comforted at that answer and let out a breath.

"So how did you and him get started anyway?" she asked me. I cleared my throat awkwardly.

"Oh, well, he and I aren't a couple," I answered. Seriously, what was with everyone thinking we were a couple?

"Oh, I could've sworn you two were together," she said.

"He's my best friend," I told her. "He's nice and funny and smart. I admire him. Honestly, he's the best person I've ever met." I didn't feel that way about the Doctor… at least… I don't think I did.

"So, what's the problem?" Jackie asked. I sighed.

"Both of us have been through some stuff recently," I replied. It was the truth, just not the whole truth. "And I don't know about him, but I need to sort through my feelings and get myself back on track before I even think about getting into a relationship." Jackie nodded, understanding me.

"I'm going to go check the doors. Can you look after Rose for me?" she asked. I smiled and nodded and she walked away. I looked at Rose and moved to sit on the banister in front of her. I tickled her stomach and she gurgled at me. I giggled as I continued to tickle her and make silly faces at her.

"You'd be a good mother," I heard after a few minutes. I looked behind me and blushed when I saw the Doctor smiling at me.

"When I was younger, I would bring home stray cats and dogs. Sometimes deer and elk, even a bear cub once. I love animals. To be honest, children aren't that different. They both need to be cared for, loved, nourished. I've always been good with animals and children," I told him. I turned back to little Rose and felt the Doctor come and sit behind me.

"Rose, you're not going to bring about the end of the world, are you?" the Doctor asked her. "Are you?" Little Rose stared at him blankly and I laughed. I looked to my left as Rose came up to us.

"I'm looking after her for Jackie," I told her.

"I better be careful," Rose said. I looked at her in confusion. "I think I just imprinted myself on Mickey like a mother chicken." She and I laughed softly, but I abruptly stopped and grabbed her hand when she reached out for the baby.

"No. Don't touch the baby," the Doctor warned her. "You're both the same person, that's a paradox. We don't want a paradox happening, not with these things outside."

"Any kind of disturbance makes them stronger," I told her.

"A paradox might let them in," the Doctor finished.

"I can't do anything right, can I?" Rose asked. I was about to console her but the Doctor cut me off.

"Since you asked, no," he said as if talking to a dimwit. "So don't… touch… the baby." Rose's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not stupid," she defended.

"You could have fooled me."

"Oh, for God's sake. Shut up," I told them. My voice softened. "Rose, what you did was wrong and foolish but there was no way you could've known this would happen. None of us could have known." I aimed that last part at the Doctor. "But bickering amongst each other will get us nowhere. Right now, we need to focus on getting out of here alive." Rose looked away.

"All right… I'm sorry," the Doctor said to Rose. "I wasn't really going to leave you on your own."

"I would've given you hell for it," I said. The Doctor smiled slightly before turning back to Rose.

"Between the three of us, I haven't got a plan. No idea. No way out," the Doctor admitted. I bit my lip. There was a solution, but it would break Rose's heart.

"One of you will think of something," Rose said quietly. I closed my eyes, guilt at my idea weighing down on me.

"The entire Earth's being sterilized," the Doctor said. "This, and other places like it, are all that's left of the human race." The Doctor looked up at the ceiling of the church.

"Rose, we've only got so much time. Nothing can stop those creatures. They will get in, it's only a matter of how much time we've got left," I explained grimly.

"There's nothing I can do to stop them," the Doctor said. "There used to be laws stopping this kind of thing from happening. My people would have stopped this. But they're all gone. And now I'm going the same way."

"If I'd realized…" Rose tried. The Doctor and I looked at her and she stopped.

"Just tell us you're sorry," I whispered. Rose looked near tears.

"I am. I'm sorry," she said sincerely. The Doctor reached out and put a hand on her cheek before doing the same for me. He stood up, pulling me with him and tugged me and Rose into a hug. A few seconds later, Rose pulled away and reached into the Doctor's jacket.

"Have you got something hot?" she asked. I furrowed my eyebrows and watched her. Suddenly, I felt something very hot on my chest. Rose and I hissed at the same time. She threw the TARDIS key against the ground while I took off my necklace.

"Doctor, it's the TARDIS key," I said. The Doctor took off his jacket and picked up the key with it.

"It's telling me it's still connected to the TARDIS," he said. The three of us grinned at each other and I saw a plan forming in the Doctor's eyes. We gathered everyone together and the Doctor stood at the front of the church addressing us.

"The inside of my ship was thrown out of the wound," he explained," but we can use this to bring it back." The Doctor showed everyone his glowing key. "And once I've got my ship back, then I can mend everything. Now, I just need a bit of power. Has anyone got a battery?" No one spoke up, but I got an idea.

"Stuart?" he looked up at me. "Have you still got that phone?" He stood up and handed it to me.

"Fantastic," the Doctor said. I smiled before handing the phone to him.

"Good old Dad," Stuart said.

"Just need to do a bit of charging up," the Doctor said. The Doctor soniced the battery. "And then we can bring everyone back." I bit my lip as I heard the creatures, Reapers, pounding against the doors of the church. Their screeches were getting louder. I stood next to the Doctor as he continued sonicing the battery. I noticed Peter and Rose talking in the back of the church, but ignored them. Soon, I watched in wonder as the Doctor stuck out the key and translucent TARDIS appeared around it. He and I smiled at it as he put his jacket back on.

"Right, no one touches that key. Have you got that? Don't touch it," the Doctor instructed everyone. I looked up at him as he stood in the pulpit. Anyone touches that key, it'll be, well, zap! Just leave it be and everything will be fine. We'll get out of here. All of us. Stuart, Sarah, you're going to get married, just like I said." I watched as everyone turned to each other, relieved and happy. The TARDIS was materializing. Slowly, but surely. The Doctor and I went to go sit with Rose in the back of the church. Each of us sat on one side of her while Peter sat a row behind us. I saw Jackie looking back at us, little Rose in her arms.

"When time gets sorted out…" Rose began.

"Everybody here forgets what happened," the Doctor told her. "And don't worry, the thing that you changed will stay changed."

"You mean I'll still be alive," Peter spoke up behind us. I jumped slightly at his words, but my shoulders fell as I realized he knew the truth. "Though I'm meant to be dead." Although the three of us were looking at him, no one spoke a word and Peter nodded.

"That's why I haven't done anything with my life. Why it didn't mean anything."

"Doesn't work like that," the Doctor said.

"Rubbish," Peter shot back. "I was so useless I couldn't even die properly. Now it's my fault all this has happened."

"This is my fault," Rose said quickly. She put a hand on his arm and I suddenly felt like I was invading on a private moment.

"No, love," Peter replied. "I'm your dad. It's my job for it to be my fault."

"Her dad?" we heard. The four of us turned and saw Jackie standing there. I got up out of the chair and moved a little ways away, not wanting to be in the middle of the family matter. "How are you her dad? How old were you? 12? Oh, that's disgusting."

"Jacks, listen," Peter tried. I noticed the Doctor roll his eyes and distance himself as well. "This is Rose," Peter said.

"Rose?" Jackie asked. "How sick is that? Did you give my daughter a second-hand name? How many are there? Do you call them all Rose?"

"Oh, for God's sake, look. It's the same Rose." My eyes widened and I spun around.

"No!"

"Rose!" I called out right before the Doctor did, but it was too late. Peter placed little Rose in Rose's arms. The Doctor immediately took little Rose away from Rose. I turned when I heard a woman scream and I almost screamed myself. A Reaper had appeared in the middle of the church.

"Everyone, behind me!" Everyone obeyed and scrambled to get behind the Doctor.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" I breathed. He looked at me and I saw the pained look in his eyes. He put a hand on my cheek briefly. "I'm sorry." I looked at him in confusion as he turned back to the Reaper. "I'm the oldest thing in here." He stepped forward away from everyone. The Reaper screeched and dove for him. I felt a sharp pain go through my head and I watched in horror as the Reaper consumed the Doctor. I felt everything around me silence and slow. I didn't even hear everyone start screaming behind me. My horror only increased as the Reaper flew through the still materializing TARDIS. It must've touched the key, because the TARDIS disappeared and the key fell to the ground. Rose and I both ran forward, but I made it there before her and dropped to my knees. I gingerly picked up the key. It was cold. I checked my own and got the same result.

"The keys are cold," I breathed to Rose. I didn't notice as Peter came up behind us. I felt the pain increase in my head and I felt a sudden wave of dizziness wash over me.

"Oh, my God, he's dead," Rose realized. Peter tried to comfort her but she jerked away from him. "This is all my fault. Both of you, all of you. The whole world." Peter hugged his daughter and I remained on my knees, staring at the keys. I felt something trickle down my face. It was blood. I had a bloody nose.

'_Doctor...'_ I tried. There was nothing. My mind was empty. I could no longer feel his presence. Horror filled me as I realized why he apologized to me. The church darkened and the Reapers' screeches became louder.

"This is it. There's nothing we can do. It's the end," a woman spoke up.

"What about Viviana?" Stuart suggested. Everyone looked at me and I hauled myself off the ground. I pocketed the two keys and looked at everyone.

"Viv, your nose is bleeding," Rose breathed.

"I know," I replied. I turned to everyone. "The keys are no longer connected to the ship. There's no way we can get out that way."

"But you have another plan, right?" Sarah asked. I tried not to, but my eyes connected with Peter's for a few seconds before I looked down at the ground.

"I have to go check something." With that, I walked off towards the back of the church. I pushed aside a curtain and looked out on the street. The car was still there. I heard footsteps behind me and heard Peter speak.

"Is it still there?" he asked. I turned, ignoring my head rush, and nodded. "Are you all right?"

"Don't worry about me," I told him. "You and I both know what you're thinking and you don't have to do it. There has to be another way." Peter didn't answer and went to look out the window himself. I sighed and left him alone. I made it back to the front of the church and felt all of my energy seep from me. Sarah came up to me.

"Are you all right?" she asked me. I tried to answer but erupted in a fit of coughs. Rose came over to us.

"Viv, what's wrong?" I looked at her but couldn't speak. Sarah and Rose lowered me to the ground and Rose put my head in her lap. "Come on, tell me what's wrong." Knowing I couldn't speak, I lifted my hand and tapped our two heads.

"Something to do with your head?" Sarah asked. I nodded and Rose's face fell.

"Your mental bond. Your mental bond with the Doctor," she realized. I nodded.

"He created the bond to save my life. Now he's gone…" I managed to get out.

"So is the bond." I nodded at Rose and she let out a shaky breath. I was stronger than before, but I knew I wasn't going to hold out much longer.

"Oi, what's the matter with her?" I heard Jackie say.

"She's dying," Rose whispered.

"What do you mean, 'she's dying?'" Jackie demanded.

"She means she's dying," Peter said coming up to us. He looked at me and I could tell what he was thinking.

"No, Peter. Don't," I croaked. Rose looked at us in confusion.

"The Doctor and her really care about you," he told Rose. "They didn't want you to go through it again. Not if there was another way." I noticed Sarah had left to give us privacy.

"There has to be another way," I whispered.

"Yes, well, if there is, you aren't going to be alive long enough to find it." I tried to argue, but couldn't.

"What are you talking about?" Rose asked.

"That car that should have killed me, love," Peter said. "It's here. The Doctor and Viviana worked it out way back but they, er… they tried to protect me. Still. They're not in charge anymore. I am."

"But you can't," Rose tried.

"Who am I, love?" he asked.

"My daddy," Rose whispered.

"Jackie, look at her. She's ours," Peter said. I saw the truth dawn on Jackie's face and the women embraced each other. I gathered up my strength and heaved myself off the ground.

"Please, Peter, there has to be another way," I pleaded softly.

"Look at you," he laughed softly. "You're dying and you're still trying to save me." I looked at him, tears welling up in my eyes. He put his hand on my cheek and it took all my willpower not to break down in sobs. "Let _me_ save _you_, love."

"I'm sorry," I whispered. Peter nodded and gave me a sad smile. I returned it.

"I'm meant to be dead, Jackie," he told his wife. "You're going to get rid of me at last."

"Don't say that," Jackie said holding back tears.

"For once in your life, trust me. It's got to be done. You've got to survive 'cause you've got to bring up our daughter." Peter looked at Rose before pulling Jackie into one last kiss. "I never read you those bedtime stories. I never took you on those picnics. I was never there for you."

"You would've been," Rose cried.

"But I can do this for you," Peter said. He looked at me. "For both of you."

"But it's not fair," Rose cried.

"I've had all these extra hours. No one else in the world has ever had that. And on top of that, I get to be a proper dad to you and I get to see you. And you're beautiful." Peter stroked Rose's face. "How lucky and I, eh? So, come on. Do as your dad says. Rose tried to keep herself from crying too hard and reached over to grab the vase. She slowly gave it to him and looked back at her father.

"You going to be there for me, love?" he asked her. Rose nodded and Peter placed his hand on her head again. "Thanks for saving me." With that, he pulled his two girls into one last hug. With that, Peter ran outside. Rose and I grabbed each other's hands before walking outside. Both of us closed our eyes and waited. I heard the Reapers screech one last time before falling silent.

"Go to him. Quick." I recognized the soft voice as the Doctor's.

"Will you… come with me?" Rose asked. I felt myself tear up and merely nodded. Together, Rose and I ran towards Peter. Each of us fell to a side of him. I grabbed his hand as Rose leaned over him. Peter looked up at his daughter and me for a few seconds before breathing his last. His eyes closed and he fell back. I bit my lip and tried to hold back tears as Rose cried. She leaned forward and kissed her father on the head before standing up. I squeezed Peter's hand one last time before standing up and standing next to Rose. We looked up and saw the Doctor standing on the other side of the car. Rose and I walked towards him. He grabbed both of our hands before walking back to the TARDIS in silence. Once there, I reached into my pocket and pulled out his key. He took it from my hand and unlocked the box and let us in. Rose immediately went to her bedroom, leaving me alone with the Doctor in the console room. I suddenly felt my anger flare up and stood away from the Doctor as he flew her into the Time Vortex.

"Are you okay?" the Doctor asked me once the TARDIS was in the Vortex. I didn't answer and strode up to him. He turned to face me and I knew I looked like a mess with messy hair, rumpled clothing and blood all over my face and hands. But that didn't matter at the moment. Out of anger, I reached out and slapped him. The Doctor's hand flew to his face as he grunted.

"Oi!" he yelled.

"If you ever scare me like that again, Doctor, I swear I'll…" my threat trailed off as the Doctor squeezed me in a hug. I immediately hugged him back just as tight. When we pulled back, the Doctor looked at me with apologetic eyes.

"I suppose I deserved that," he said softly. Just for the hell of it, I reached up and flicked him on the forehead.

'_That's for worrying me like that,'_ I told him.

'_Goodnight, Viviana,'_ he replied with a small smile. I returned it and stepped away from him before going to my room and falling into a much needed sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Episode 9 "The Empty Child"**

* * *

**Chapter 9: The Child and the Conman**

"What's the emergency?" Rose asked.

"It's mauve," the Doctor replied. I helped the Doctor fly the TARDIS as we chased a foreign, large cylinder through the Vortex.

"Mauve?" Rose asked. The TARDIS lurched.

"The universally recognized colour for danger," the Doctor explained.

"What happened to red?"

"That's just humans. By everyone else's standards, red's camp. Oh, the misunderstandings. All those red alerts, all that dancing." The Doctor gestured to the monitor, which showed the object we were following. "It's got a very basic flight computer-I've hacked in, slaved the TARDIS. Wherever it goes, we go."

"And how safe is it?" Rose asked.

"Totally," the Doctor replied. Just then, the section of the console right in front of me exploded. I shrieked and jumped back. "Okay, reasonably. Should have said 'reasonably' there." I looked at the monitor.

"Doctor! It's jumping time tracks!" I yelled. "It's getting away."

"What exactly is this thing?"

"No idea," the Doctor and I replied at the same time.

"Then why are we chasing it?" Rose cried.

"It's mauve and dangerous and about 30 seconds from the centre of London," the Doctor said. The Doctor and I were soon able to land the TARDIS and we stepped out near some homes. It was nighttime and it looked like it had rained earlier.

"Do you know how long you can knock around space without having to bump into Earth?" the Doctor asked.

"Five days," Rose replied. "Or is that just when we're out of milk?"

"Of all the species in all the universe and it has to come out of a cow," the Doctor said. "Must've come down somewhere quite close. Within a mile anyway. And it can't have been more than a few weeks ago. Maybe a month." I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. We were right behind the thing, how could it have been a month?

"A month? We were right behind it," Rose voiced my thoughts.

"It was jumping time tracks all over the place. We're bound to be a little bit out. Do you want to drive?" the Doctor sassed.

"Yeah… how much is a little?" Rose asked.

"A bit," the Doctor answered. The three of us walked around a corner towards a building.

"Is that exactly a bit?"

"Ish."

"What's the plan, then?" Rose asked. "You going to do a scan for alien tech or something?"

"Rose, it hit the middle of London with a very loud bang. I'm going to ask," the Doctor said like it was obvious. I had to agree, something like what we were chasing would be noticed if it did hit, especially, if it hit the middle of London. I saw the Doctor pull out the psychic paper.

"Dr. John Smith, Ministry of Asteroids," Rose read.

"Here, let me see," I said. I had always wanted to see psychic paper and had never really gotten a chance before. I got a quick glance at the words before the paper went blank.

"Are you not concentrating?" I asked.

"No, I am," he said. I frowned.

"Then, why can't I see it?" I asked. I took the paper from his hand and pouted slightly. The Doctor and Rose looked at me in shock and I blushed. I quickly gave the psychic paper back to the Doctor and fell silent. The three of us arrived at a door.

"Not very 'Spock', is it? Just asking," Rose criticized lightly.

"Door, music, people. What do you think?" The Doctor was right, there was music and people laughing behind the door.

"I think you should do a scan for alien tech," Rose continued. The Doctor pulled out the sonic. "Give me some Spock, for once. Would it kill you?"

"You two sure about those shirts?" the Doctor asked us very suddenly. Rose and I looked down. She was wearing a shirt with a Union Jack design on it. I had ditched my regular blue tank top for an American Flag tank top.

"Too early to say. We're taking them out for a spin," Rose said.

"Mummy," I heard a soft voice say. I looked over in the direction it came from.

"Did you hear that?" I asked Rose. She nodded and the two of us stepped away from the Doctor slightly. It had sounded like a child.

"Mummy." Rose and I looked around for the child, but couldn't find one.

"Come on if you're coming. Won't take a minute," the Doctor said. Rose and I looked back at the Doctor as he stepped inside the building. I was about to follow, but the child called out again.

"Mummy." I looked around, but couldn't find the child. I was beginning to get worried.

"Viv…" Rose trailed off. I followed her gaze and gasped. Up on the roof of one of the buildings, was a little boy with a gas mask "Doctor, there's a kid up there!" Rose and I didn't wait for his reply as we ran off.

"Are you all right up there?" Rose yelled to the boy.

"Mummy," he said. Rose and I ran up the stairs on the side of the building and quickly made it to the roof. "Mummy." Rose and I still weren't on the boy's level, but we could see him better. God, he couldn't have been older than 5.

"Okay, hang on, don't move," Rose called up to him. Rose and I looked around for a way to get up, when suddenly, a rope came into view. Rose and I looked at it a little funny, but began climbing up the boy.

"Mummy," the child kept calling. Suddenly, I stopped, hearing a siren in the distance. I listened closer and my eyes widened.

"Rose. Rose, stop!" I called. "The siren, it's-" I was cut off when the rope suddenly raised and moved away from the building and the child. Now, earlier in our quest to help him, I had forgotten all about my fear of heights, but it came back in full swing as I looked down from the rope Rose and I were clinging to. Fear filled me up and I screamed at the top of my lungs, unable to help it. The barrage balloon flew through the sky and I clung to the rope for dear life.

"Viviana!" Rose cried.

"Rose!" I yelled back. "Doctor!"

"Doctor!" Rose echoed.

"Doctor!" We cried at the same time. The barrage balloon we were hanging from continued to fly over London as Germans bombed the city. World War II. Could things get any worse? More planes zoomed by us and I heard Rose mutter, "Okay. Maybe not these shirts." I would've laughed in any other situation. Instead, I clung to the rope so tight my knuckles turned white and the rope turned slick. I wasn't sure if that was from sweat or blood from the burns, probably both. Planes zoomed towards us and I bit back another scream as they reminded me in how much danger Rose and I really were. Rose and I held on for dear life as we passed St. Paul's. More planes whizzed by us and I saw red liquid trickle down the rope. It was blood from how tightly I was holding the ropes. Suddenly, Rose slipped down the rope.

"Rose!" I cried. There was an explosion underneath us and Rose fell, colliding with me and taking me with her, cutting and burning my hands even more. She and I screamed in unison as we fell through the air. Then, we weren't falling anymore. I saw that we were hanging in midair, suspended by a beam of light. I squealed slightly when I saw we were still very high up.

"Okay, okay, I got you," a male voice said. I noticed he had an American accent.

"Who's got us?" Rose asked. "Who's got us and, you know… how?"

"I'm just programming your descent pattern," the man said. "Stay as still as you can and keep your hands and feet inside the light field." Rose and I immediately did as he said and waited.

"Descent pattern?" Rose called. I was about to yell at whoever this was to hurry up but I swallowed back my fear. I would not let it control me.

"Oh, and can one of you switch off your cell phone?" the man asked. I momentarily forgot about my fear at that. "No, seriously, it interferes with my instruments."

"No one ever believes that," Rose called back to him, but she pulled out her phone and turned it off anyway.

"Thank you, that's much better," he said. I couldn't take it anymore.

"Oh, yeah, because everything's better now," I sassed. "We're hanging in midair during a German Air Raid with a Union Jack and American Flag across our chests, I've got a major fear of heights, and we could fall to our deaths if you mess this up, but hey, her cell is off!"

"Be with you in a moment," the man said unperturbed. In a few seconds, his voice came back. "Ready for you. Hold tight."

"To what?" Rose and I yelled back.

"Fair point," the man admitted. Suddenly, Rose and I fell through the beam towards Big Ben. She and I screamed as we fell through the sky and suddenly, we were inside a ship. The man had caught Rose as she was in front of me, but I fell to the ground. That did nothing to help my bleeding and throbbing hands. I hissed in pain as the man spoke to Rose.

"I got you. You're fine, you're just fine." I had forgone my hat for this trip, but I still kept my leather jacket on. I reached into my inside pocket and pulled out the gloves I always kept with me. Despite the pain, I slipped the fingerless, black leather gloves on my hands.

"The tractor beam, it can scramble your head just a little," the man explained. That explained my slight dizziness. Both he and Rose laughed, but she abruptly stopped.

"Hello," she breathed.

"Hello," he replied.

"Hello," Rose said again. I furrowed my eyebrows but didn't look at her. I crawled into a fetal position, still recovering from being so high up for so long. "Sorry. There was 'hello' twice there. Dull, but, you know, thorough."

"Are you all right?" the man asked her.

"Fine," Rose said. I heard the man put her down, as my head was buried in my knees. "Why, are you expecting me to faint or something?"

"You look a little dizzy," the man told her.

"What about you? You're not even in focus." Suddenly, Rose fell silent and I guess she had fainted. A few seconds later, I felt someone place their hands on my shoulders.

"Are you okay?" I heard the man ask. I lifted my head and nodded. "Are you sure? You're shaking." It was only then did I realize I was.

"Just give me a minute," I whispered. I took his outstretched hand and he helped me stand. Only then, did I notice him. My breath hitched as I got a good look at him. He was… good looking… really good looking. I didn't mean like the hot, tan guys at the beach or the senior cutie or the foreign babe you sometimes saw. I mean, this man was the best looking man I'd ever seen. He was tall, strong, with dark hair and bluish grey eyes. He had a strong jaw and a wide, but cocky smile. I immediately knew he was the type to flirt with every girl he saw.

"Hello," he said.

"Hi," I replied. I noticed his expectant look. "I'm not going to faint on you like she did." The man laughed and went to go sit in the captain's chair.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Viviana," I replied. "Viviana Davis."

"Beautiful name," he complimented with a smile. I blushed. "So, tell me. How did such a badass looking girl come to have such a wicked fear of heights?" I looked down at myself. I guess I did look a little more "badass" than normal. I was in mostly black. I had on my normal black jeans, my leather jacket and gloves, and my hair was pulled into a tight, high braided ponytail. Even my bangs were pulled back. Along with my hat, I had forgone my regular vans for black combat boots. I looked back up at the strange man, but decided to tell him.

"When I was younger, I used to live in the mountains. I loved to climb the trees. When I was eight, I climbed a particularly big Spruce tree. I got near the top when a branch broke underneath my foot. I fell halfway to the bottom, but the branch I was able to get a hold of snapped as well and I fell the rest of the way down. I broke my leg and got pretty scratched up in the process." I showed the man my arms. Normally, they weren't noticeable, but when one was looking, they could see multiple little white scars on my arms from the spruce needles. Then, I showed him the long scar on my left collarbone from a branch that had scratched me.

"Wow, that's some tale," the man said. I blushed under his intense gaze but quickly recovered.

"What about you? You must have some tales," I said. "And the first one I would like to hear is, who are you?" The man smirked and reached behind him.

"Captain Jack Harkness. 133 Squadron Royal Air Force. I'm an American volunteer," he introduced. He handed me an ID card but I smirked when I saw it.

"That would be impressive if it were true," I said. Jack looked confused. "This is psychic paper." He let out an uneasy laugh.

"How'd you know?" he asked.

"This paper's blank," I said. Jack frowned at me before looking at it.

"No it's not."

"Then what does it say? And don't lie," Jack paused.

"It says 'I'm single and I work out.'" I laughed before taking the paper. I frowned when I still couldn't see it, but handed it back to him. "And now it says 'Never going to happen.'" I laughed aloud when he read this, audibly put out.

"Look at you," I started. "A spaceship, psychic paper, advanced technology. You're not from around here, so what are you doing here? Certainly it's not to fight in the war. You know what we're looking for, don't you?"

"We?" Jack asked.

"Me and her," I gestured to Rose. "And our friend." Jack looked at me.

"Do you drink?" he asked me. I was getting annoyed with his avoiding of the topic but humored him.

"No." Jack didn't reply. I suddenly felt something. "What's in the air?"

"What?" Jack asked me. I snapped my fingers and thousands of tiny little firefly things surrounded my hands.

"Nanogenes," I breathed. Jack looked surprised at my knowledge of them.

"I'm guessing you're not from around here either," he said. "You're a Time Agent aren't you?" I decided to play along.

"And you know what I'm looking for," I said. He didn't deny it and pressed a button. Suddenly, a ramp lowered and I hesitantly followed him outside. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I looked down. I was standing on the ship, but I couldn't see it. All I saw was London below me.

"Jack…" I whispered. Despite my quiet voice, he heard me and looked towards me. I saw his face immediately shine with guilt and worry.

"Hey, hey. I've got you," he said. Jack grabbed one of my hands and led me forward while taking a device out of his pocket. He pressed it and the spaceship became visible under my feet. I immediately breathed a sigh of relief and let go of his hand, feeling much more comfortable.

"So what was why no one could see us," I realized. "You can turn your spaceship invisible. And I'm guessing it's parked next to Big Ben because of it being invisible, you would need to remember where it is."

"Smart girl," Jack praised.

"Isn't she?" a deep voice said right behind me. I squealed and practically jumped into Jack's arms. He had his arms around my waist and the both of us looked back at who spoke.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded. Grandpapa smiled at me before disappearing.

"What was that?" Jack asked.

"I have no idea," I replied with equal confusion.

"But who was that?"

"No one important," I said. "Now, back to whatever we are doing up here."

"I have something for the Time Agency," Jack said. "Something they would very much like to get their hands on. Are you authorized to negotiate?"

"What is this thing?" I asked not answering Jack's question. He took it as a "yes" and continued. Jack tightened his arms around my waist, making me realize they were still there. "Business, Jack." Jack got my message before nodding and stepping back. However, it didn't last long as Jack pulled the device from his pocket again and pressed it. "Blue Moon" began playing and Jack pulled me into a slow dance before I could protest.

"Glenn Miller?" I asked.

"Mm-hmm." He looked at me before turning serious. "There is a fully equipped, Chula Warship here in London. But, we are in the middle of a German Air Raid and there is going to be a bomb that drops on it in exactly two and a half hours. If the Agency names the right price, I can show you where I parked her."

"Two and a half hours?" I asked. Jack nodded and pulled me a little closer. I felt my cheeks heat up but stayed on topic. "I'll have to talk to my… companion."

"Companion?"

"Well, he's more like my supervisor."

"He?"

"Yes, 'he', Jack," I told him with a smirk.

"So, does he handle the business?" Jack asked.

"Yes, but… he's somewhat unwilling to cooperate with criminals."

"Now, what makes you think I'm a criminal?" Jack asked.

"Isn't that what you think of yourself as?" I said smirking. I felt a small, sensual tug on my braid. My hair had grown even longer since I started travelling with the Doctor. When it was down, it was just past my bum. In the braided ponytail it was in now, it reached just past my hips.

"You caught me," Jack said looking at me. With a jolt, I realized I had been _flirting_ with Jack. Well, that was new.

"Talk to my companion," I said. With that, I stepped out of his arms and went back into the spaceship. I took off my jacket and folded it up, using it as a pillow before falling asleep quickly. I entered a dream. I was back in my apartment and Grandpapa was sitting on his old chair.

"It's not a warship," he told me.

"I figured not," I replied. "But how do you know that? Jack's a criminal, a conman. What is it?"

"I've met Jack in another part of time. As for the ship, it's an old ambulance," Grandpapa said.

"Meaning it's worthless junk. I bet there's not even anything in it," I sighed. I had a feeling Jack would try something like that, but I was still frustrated. But… Jack thought we were Time Agents. I smirked when thinking about how he would react when he found out we were just a few free-lancers.

"There must be another reason you're here," I said to Grandpapa. He wouldn't show up if it wasn't important.

"You can trust Jack," he said.

"What makes you say that?" I scowled. He was a conman, an attractive one, but still.

"Time to wake up," Grandpapa replied. Then, I felt myself coming out of the dream.

"Hey, Viv. Wake up," Rose said. I blinked up at her and sat up. "It's time to go meet Mr. Spock." I caught her wink and nodded, knowing she was talking about the Doctor.

"How long was I asleep?" I asked.

"Half an hour," Jack told me. I frowned. It seemed like a lot less time than that, but whatever. I put on my jacket and Rose and I followed Jack towards a hospital. We passed what I figured out was the bombsite and entered the building. It looked mainly abandoned, but I saw people lying on beds in wards as we passed.

"Hello?" Jack called.

"Hello?" Rose repeated. We walked through a hallway and the door in front of us opened to reveal the Doctor. I immediately ran up to him and we quickly hugged. I thought I saw a frown on Jack's face, but when I looked again, he was smiling brightly.

"Good evening," Jack greeted. "Hope we're not interrupting. Jack Harkness. I've been hearing all about you on the way over." Jack and the Doctor shook hands.

"He knows. Viv and I have to tell him about us being Time Agents." The Doctor looked at Rose as she said this and caught on.

"And it's a real pleasure to meet you, Mr. Spock," Jack continued. The Doctor looked at me and Rose for that.

"Mr. Spock?" he asked as Jack walked away.

"What was I supposed to say?" Rose asked. "You don't have a name. Don't you ever get tired of 'Doctor' Doctor Who?"

"Nine centuries in, I'm coping," he said. "Where've you been? We're in the middle of a London Blitz; it's not the time for a stroll."

"Who's strolling? We went by barrage balloon," Rose said. The Doctor paused. "Only way to see an air raid."

"What?" the Doctor said.

"Listen, what's a Chula Warship?" Rose asked him. I sighed. I guess Jack told her the same thing he told me.

"Rose-" I was cut off by the Doctor.

"Chula?" the Doctor repeated. The three of us entered the ward to find Jack examining one of the patients. I frowned when I saw they all had gas masks on.

"This just isn't possible," Jack said. "How did this happen?"

"What kind of Chula ship landed here?" the Doctor asked him.

"What?"

"He said it was a Warship," Rose said.

"Yeah, that's what he said," I replied, my tone implying I didn't believe it. Jack and the Doctor looked at me. "He said he parked it somewhere out there. Unless we make him an offer," I said keeping up the Time Agent Charade, "he's going to let it be destroyed by another bomb. What kind of Warship is it again, Jack?" I noticed the man looked nervous and was now pacing.

"Does it matter? It has nothing to do with this."

"This started at the bombsite. It's got everything to do with it," the Doctor said. "What kind of Warship?"

"An ambulance," Jack and I answered at the same time. Both men and Rose looked at me.

"That is what we chased through the Vortex, Doctor. It's a con. We chase after it, believing it's something of value. We make an offer and buy the worthless thing but before we can get it, a bomb destroys it. Am I right, Jack?" The man looked stunned and Rose and the Doctor looked at him for confirmation. Jack activated a device on his wrist and the three of us looked at a hologram of the ambulance.

"It's space junk. It's empty. I made sure of it, nothing but a shell. I threw it at you. Saw your time travel vehicle, love the retro look by the way, nice panels, threw you the bait…"

"The perfect con," I said.

"I thought you were Time Agents," Jack admitted. "You're not, are you?"

"Just a few more free-lancers," Rose said.

"Ah… Should've known, the way you guys are blending in with the local colour. I mean, Flag Girl was bad enough, then there was American Badass, and now U-Boat Captain?" The three of us looked down at our outfits, slightly self-conscious.

"Wait… Doctor you said the ship was the cause of all this," I remembered. "What do you mean?"

"It has nothing to do with what's happening here," Jack insisted. I ignored him and looked at the Doctor for an explanation.

"What is happening here, Doctor?" Rose asked.

"Human DNA is being rewritten," he answered. I reached in his pocket and took the Sonic before going to examine the patients myself. "By an idiot."

"What do you mean?" Rose asked. I frowned when I got the same results for the same two patients and went to examine another.

"I don't know. Some kind of virus. Converting human beings into these things." My frown deepened when I got the same results on the third patient as the first two and moved to another. "But why? What's the point?"

"This shouldn't be possible," I muttered as I got the same time for the fourth patient. Severe head trauma to the left side, partial collapse of the chest cavity to the right side, the gas masks were fused to the skin of the people but there were no burns or abnormalities. It was like the gas mask was a part of them. Everything was the same, right down to the funny scar on the back of the right hand. I gave the Doctor back his Sonic, not knowing what to make of the results. Rose went over to look at one of the bodies. She was leaning over it when suddenly, all of them sat up. I grabbed the nearest hand, which happened to be Jack's and looked at the patients warily. Every single one of them was saying 'mummy' and I was scarily reminded of the little boy in the gas mask.

"What's happening?" Rose asked fearfully.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied. All of them started getting out of bed and slowly walked towards us.

"Don't let them touch you," the Doctor warned as we all backed up. My hand was still in Jack's, and I didn't plan on letting go any time soon. Then again, neither did he.

"What happens if they touch us?" Rose asked.

"You're looking at it," the Doctor answered grimly. I looked at the patients in shock. Physical injuries couldn't be passed through touch, it just wasn't possible. Then again, all these people were living proof against my thoughts. Jack squeezed my hand as he sensed my fear and I squeezed back. Slowly, but surely, the patients came towards us, all crying for their mummies.


	10. Chapter 10

**Episode 10 "The Doctor Dances"**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Everybody Lives When the Doctor Dances**

"Go to your room." I dropped Jack's hand I was so shocked. What was the Doctor thinking? The patients had gotten out of bed and were coming towards us crying for their mummies when the Doctor stepped forward and said that. To my surprise, the patients stopped. "Go to your room."

Rose, Jack, and I exchanged looks as the Doctor continued. "I mean it! I'm very, very angry with you. I'm very, very cross! Go… to… your… room!" And just like that, the patients turned and went back to their beds. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, I'm really glad that worked," the Doctor said. "Those would have been terrible last words." I couldn't help but give a little laugh at that, despite the previous situation. The Doctor grinned at the three of us, seeming cheery as ever. Once all the patients were back in their beds, we were all able to relax again.

"Why are they all wearing gas masks?" Rose asked sitting next to one of them.

"They're not," Jack answered. "Those masks are flesh and bone."

"How was your con supposed to work?" the Doctor asked.

"Simple enough, really," Jack said. "Find some harmless piece of space junk, let the nearest Time Agent track it back to Earth, convince him it's valuable, name a price. When he puts 50% up front, oops! A German bomb falls on it, destroys it forever. He never gets to see what he's paid for, never knows he's been had. I buy him a drink with his own money and we discuss dumb luck. The perfect self-cleaning con."

"Yeah. Perfect," the Doctor muttered in response.

"The London Blitz is great for self-cleaners. Pompeii's nice if you want to make a vacation of it, though. But you've got to set your alarm for Volcano Day." Jack laughed at his own joke but stopped when he saw the look the Doctor was giving him. "Getting a hint of disapproval."

"Take a look around the room. This is what your harmless piece of space junk did," the Doctor told him.

"It was a burnt out medical transporter, it was empty."

"Rose. Viviana," the Doctor called.

"Are we getting out of here?" Rose asked.

"We're going upstairs," he said. Rose and I followed the Doctor.

"I even programmed the flight computer so it wouldn't land on anything living," Jack insisted. "I harmed no one! I don't know what's happening here, but believe me, I have nothing to do with it."

"I'll tell you what's happening," the Doctor started. "You forgot to set your alarm clock. It's Volcano Day." The four of us looked up when a siren went off.

"What's that?" Rose asked.

"The all clear," Jack said.

"I wish," the Doctor shot at Jack. I sighed. I believed the Doctor when he said the ship was the cause of all this, there was no other explanation, but he didn't have to be so rude to Jack. The man truly seemed to believe it was harmless and that it had harmed no one. He had even tried to make sure of it. I wasn't sure about him at first, even after Grandpapa told me I could trust him, but I could see it now. Jack Harkness was a good man. I followed Rose and the Doctor out of the ward, Jack on my heels.

"Mr. Spock!" Jack called. I bit back a laugh when I realized he still thought that was the Doctor's name.

"Doctor!" Rose and I called at the same time. The three of us ran through the halls of the hospital, looking for the man we had lost.

"Have you got a blaster?" I heard the Doctor ask. The three of us skidded to a halt and spun back around. I ran up to the Doctor who was standing on a flight of stairs.

"Sure," Jack answered. Jack reached into his pocket and the four of us stopped at a door.

"The night your space junk landed, someone was hurt," the Doctor said to him. "This is where they were taken."

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"Let's find out. Get it open," the Doctor ordered Jack. I furrowed my eyebrows at that. What was wrong with the Sonic?

"What's wrong with your Sonic Screwdriver?" Rose asked thinking along the same lines as me.

"Nothing," the Doctor said. I turned when I heard Jack's blaster.

"Sonic Blaster, 51st century. Weapon factories in Villengard," the Doctor summed up for us.

"You've been to the factories?" Jack asked him.

"Once."

"They're gone now, destroyed. Main reactor went critical, vaporized the lot," Jack said.

"Like I said. Once." The Doctor gave the blaster back to Jack and my eyes widened at the Doctor's hidden meaning. "There's a banana grove there now. I love bananas. Bananas are good." The Doctor walked into the room.

"Nice blast pattern," Rose said looking at the door. I looked down too and my eyebrows rose in surprise. There was a perfectly square hole where the lock should've been.

"Digital," Jack explained.

"Squareness gun?"

"Yeah."

"I like it." Jack laughed lightly before walking into the room. I followed him in and instantly got one of my feelings. My gut twisted and tightened as I looked around the completely demolished room.

"What do you think?" the Doctor asked.

"Something got out of here," Jack said.

"Yeah. And?" I walked into the other part of the room and gasped at what I saw.

"Something powerful. Angry."

"Powerful and angry."

"A child," I spoke up. Rose and Jack came into the room I was in and looked around. The wall was absolutely covered in drawings and more littered the floor. There were toys strewn across the room and a small bed stood in the corner of the room.

"How could a child do this?" she asked. The Doctor started playing a recording in the other room and I got chills as I listened to it.

"Do you know where you are?" the Doctor asked, Dr. Constantine I think.

"Are you my mummy?" the boy asked. My gut tightened even more the longer we stood there.

"Are you aware of what's around you?" Dr. Constantine continued. "Can you… see?"

"Are you my mummy?" I turned my back and looked at all the different drawings, all of them of different women. Women he imagined were his mummy.

"What do you want? Do you know…?"

"I want my mummy! Are you my mummy? I want my mummy. Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy? Mummy? Mummy?"

"Doctor, Viv and I have heard this voice before," Rose said.

"Me, too," he said.

"Always, 'are you my mummy?' Like it doesn't know," Rose said. "Why doesn't he know?"

"Are you there, mummy? Mummy?" the recording continued. The Doctor stepped into

the child's room with the rest of us and started pacing.

"Doctor, I have a really bad feeling about this," I said.

"Oh, you're getting one of those, are you?"

"Hey! Don't knock 'em." I glared at the Doctor. "I'm a Noctis. Some of us get small premonitions, but they're so small it's often brushed off as deja vu. Some others, like me, are able to tell when something bad it going to happen. We can never tell what, but we get feelings. It's like a twisting and tightening of the gut. I'm getting that now, and… Oh, God." I closed my eyes in horror. "I just figured out why I'm getting that feeling."

"Viviana, what is it?" Jack asked.

"Listen," I whispered. The Doctor made eye contact with me and I knew he had figured it out.

"Can you sense it?" he asked.

"Sense what?" Jack asked.

"Coming out of the walls. Can you feel it?"

"Mummy," the child's voice sounded.

"Funny little human brains. How do you get around in those things?" the Doctor asked looking at Rose and Jack.

"When he's stressed, he likes to insult species," Rose told Jack.

"Rose, I'm thinking!"

"He cuts himself shaving. He does half an hour on life forms he's cleverer than."

"Mummy."

"Rose, please stop," I said.

"There are these children. Living rough around the bomb sites," the Doctor started. "They come out during air raids looking for food."

"Mummy, please."

"Suppose they were there when this thing, whatever it was landed."

"It was a med-ship. It was harmless," Jack insisted.

"Yes, you keep saying. Harmless," the Doctor said. "Suppose one was affected. Altered."

"Altered how?" Rose asked.

"I'm here!" I nearly jumped out of my skin at the child's voice.

"Rose, Jack, it's a child. He's terrified and looking for his mother. He's scared out of his wits and amazingly powerful. I don't think he knows it yet, but he will," I explained. I was standing stiffly and the Doctor had stopped his pacing to look at us. The whirring of the recorder had been going on for almost a minute now. The Doctor laughed nervously.

"It's got the power of a god and I just sent it to its room," he said with a grin.

"Doctor, Viv…" Rose said frightened.

"I'm here," the boy said.

"You guys hear that noise right?" I asked. "That noise means the tape's over, and it's been going on for about a little over a minute now."

"I'm here now! Can't you see me?"

"I sent it to its room," the Doctor said. "This is its room." The Doctor whirled around and I saw the little boy standing in the other room.

"Are you my mummy?" he asked. He cocked his head at Rose before looking at me. "Mummy?"

"Doctor…" Rose said nervously.

"Okay, on my signal, make for the door," Jack instructed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack reach into his coat for his blaster.

"Mummy?"

"Now!" Jack pulled the blaster out of his coat. When I saw what was in his hand, I blinked. I probably would've laughed if we were in any other situation. In Jack's hand was a banana. The Doctor pulled out Jack's blaster from his person and blasted a square hole in the wall.

"Go! Now! Don't drop the banana!" the Doctor said.

"Why not?" Jack asked.

"Good source of potassium!" I hopped out the hole and into the hallway after Jack. The Doctor quickly followed me and Jack stole the blaster back from him. I saw the child making his way towards us and my heart rate jumped a couple notches. Jack blasted the door again, closing the hole. All of us visibly relaxed.

"Digital rewind," Jack said. Then, he tossed the banana back to the Doctor. "Nice switch."

"It's from the groves of Villengard, thought it was appropriate," the Doctor said.

"There's really a banana grove in the heart of Villengard? And you did that?" Jack asked. The

Doctor grinned.

"Bananas are good," he said with a grin, but it fell as we heard a thumping on the other side of the wall. The wall cracked and Rose and I jumped.

"Doctor," she cried.

"Come on!" he urged. Rose and I grabbed hands as the four of us ran through the hospital. We almost made it to the end of a hallway when the door opened and several patients made their way towards us. The four of us stopped abruptly and turned and went back the way we came. We passed the cracked wall, the child still breaking it, and saw more patients coming at us from the other direction. Jack lifted his blaster and the four of us realized we were trapped.

"It's keeping us here so it can get at us," the Doctor said.

"It's controlling them?" Jack yelled.

"It is them," the Doctor explained. "It's every living thing in this hospital."

"Okay. This can function as a sonic blaster," Jack said, "a sonic cannon, and it's a triple-enfolded sonic disruptor. Doc, what you got?"

"I've got a sonic… never mind," the Doctor trailed off. Despite this, he pulled out the sonic screwdriver.

"What?"

"It's sonic, okay? Let's leave it at that." I was barely able to contain my laughter. "Oi!"

"What?" I said.

"Stop laughing!" the Doctor scolded.

"I'm not." It was a poor attempt to convince him I wasn't completely amused by his and Jack's banter.

"I heard it, Viviana," the Doctor said tapping his head. I was going to reply but Jack cut me off.

"Is now the time? Disruptor? Cannon? What?"

"It's sonic, totally sonic," the Doctor tried. "I am soniced up."

"A sonic what?"

"Screwdriver!" Rose and I had been watching the two like a tennis match. Jack spun around and was going to say something when the child broke through the wall. My eyes widened and I backed up slightly.

"Going down," I heard Rose say. I turned in time and saw Rose blasting a hole in the floor. Next thing I knew, we were falling. Thankfully, it wasn't too far and I managed to not hurt myself. I landed with a grunt and felt someone roll on top of me. I heard Jack blast the hole closed and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, Viv," Rose said as she rolled off me. She stood up as I sat up.

"It's okay," I replied. She offered me a hand and I took it, forgetting all about my burns. I bit back a hiss and tried not to rip my hand away from hers as waves of pain shot through it. "Thanks, Rose," I said. She nodded.

"Doctor, are you okay?" Rose asked.

"Could've used a warning," he replied dryly.

"Ugh, the gratitude," Rose grumbled.

"Who has a sonic screwdriver?" Jack said incredulously.

"I do," the Doctor defended.

"Lights," Rose said. I realized she was right, the room was completely dark.

"Who looks at a screwdriver and thinks, 'Ooh, this could be a little more sonic!'" Jack continued.

"You've never been bored?" the Doctor shot back. I rolled my eyes. Their banter was more annoying than funny now.

"There's got to be a light switch," Rose said. I began helping her look for one. Soon, she found one and turned the lights on.

"Mummy."

"Mummy." I heard. I looked around and realized we had fallen into another ward full of patients. All of them began getting out of their beds and walking towards. The four of us ran towards the door and Jack tried to blast it.

"Damn it," he exclaimed after a couple tries. The Doctor stepped forward and began to sonic the door. "It's the special features, they really drain the battery."

"The battery?" Rose asked. The Doctor managed to get the door open and we dashed through it. "That's so lame!"

"I was going to send for another one but somebody's got to go and blow up the factory," Jack complained.

"Oh, we know," Rose replied. "First day we met him, he blew up our job." I nodded, remembering that day. The Doctor locked the door and Jack jumped up to look out a window. "That's practically how he communicates."

"Okay, that door should hold it for a bit," the Doctor announced.

"The door?" Jack asked incredulously. "The wall didn't stop it."

"Well, it's got to find us first!" the Doctor replied. "Come on, we're not done yet. Assets."

"Well, I've got a banana and, in a pinch, you could put up some shelves," Jack listed off.

"Window?"

"Barred, sheer drop. Seven stories." A small amount of fear crept into me at that.

"And no other exits," Rose said.

"Viviana?" the Doctor called out.

"Well, I've got the lives, memories, and knowledge of five people crammed into my head, but it won't be much help. I'm still not as smart as you, Doctor. I mean, most of my knowledge I got from you, my family's on top of that is slightly redundant. It's basically all the same stuff five times over. Even then, it's so much information that I can't process it. I'm too young, my brain can't handle it. The only other thing I've got is them," I held up my necklace where my family was contained, "and I don't think they can do anything."

"Well, the assets conversation went in a flash, didn't it?" Jack said.

"So, where'd you pick this one up, then?" the Doctor asked Rose and I gesturing to Jack.

"Doctor…" Rose said warningly.

"They were hanging from a barrage balloon, I had an invisible spaceship," Jack explained. "I never stood a chance." Rose and I exchanged slightly uncomfortable looks.

"Okay. One, we've got to get out of here. Two, we can't get out of here. Have I missed anything?" the Doctor asked.

"Jack's gone," I said. I tried to keep the emotion out of my voice. He had just… left us here. I couldn't help but feel a little betrayed. The Doctor whirled around to see I was right.

"Okay, so he's vanished into thin air," Rose said. She had begun pacing. I made myself comfortable in the chair Jack had originally been sitting in. The Doctor was now sitting down also. "Why is it always the great looking ones who do that?"

"I'm making an effort not to be insulted," the Doctor spoke up. I put a hand to my mouth to hide my snickers.

"I mean… men," Rose said. The Doctor smiled sarcastically.

"Okay, thanks, that really helped." I rolled my eyes, but had a smile on your face.

"Here." I leaned over and pecked the Doctor on the cheek. "Better?"

"No." I scowled.

"That's the last time I try to make you feel better," I grumbled. I lowered my voice so only Rose could hear. "Mr. Brooding's making an appearance." Rose snickered and the Doctor shot us a look.

"Rose, Doctor, Viviana. Can you hear me?" I looked up. That was Jack's voice. The Doctor ran over to the radio. "I'm back on my ship. Used the emergency teleport. Sorry I couldn't take you. It's security-keyed to my molecular structure. I'm working on it, hang in there." I furrowed my eyebrows when I saw the Doctor hold up a wire to the radio. It was broken, it looked like it had been ripped from the radio.

"How are you speaking to us?" the Doctor asked.

"Om-Com. I can call anything with a speaker grille," Jack explained.

"Now there's a coincidence," the Doctor muttered.

"What is?" I asked at the same time as Jack.

"The child can Om-Com, too."

"He can?" Rose asked. The Doctor nodded.

"Anything with a speaker grille. Even the TARDIS phone."

"What, you mean the child can phone us?" I heard nervousness in Rose's tone.

"And I can hear you," the boy's voice suddenly sounded. I jumped and looked at the radio in shock. "Coming to find you. Coming to find you."

"Doctor, can you hear that?" Jack asked.

"Loud and clear," the Doctor answered.

"I'll try to block out the signal. Least I can do," Jack said.

"Coming to find you, mummy!"

"Remember this one, Rose?" I furrowed my eyebrows as "Moonlight Serenade" by Glenn Miller started playing. The Doctor looked at Rose and I noticed she looked slightly uncomfortable. Then again, I would be too if he played "Blue Moon" instead.

"Our song," Rose quickly explained. The Doctor merely shrugged and began playing with the wire in his hands. The Doctor soon went over to sonic the window. Rose stood behind me as I wheeled myself around in the wheelchair to entertain myself.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked him.

"Trying to set up a resonation pattern in the concrete, loosen the bars," the Doctor replied. I frowned. Did he not believe that Jack would get us out of here? Rose seemed to accept this and fell silent. A few minutes later, "Moonlight Serenade" ended and another song came on. I couldn't help the blush that came to my face as I heard "Blue Moon." Rose caught it.

"Viv, you're all flushed," she said. The Doctor looked over.

"Well…" I cleared my throat, slightly embarrassed. "This is _our_ song." Rose smiled and nodded, giving me a suggestive look. My blush darkened and Rose laughed. I looked at the Doctor, but unlike before, he didn't just shrug it off. In fact, he looked quite tense. I was about to ask what all that was about when Rose cut me off.

"You don't think he's coming back, do you?" Rose asked about Jack.

"Wouldn't bet my life," the Doctor replied. I frowned at him. I mean, yes, Jack could easily abandon us, but that didn't mean he would.

"Why don't you trust him?" I asked.

"Why do you?" the Doctor shot back.

"Saved our lives," Rose said. "Bloke-wise, that's up there with flossing." The Doctor didn't reply. "I trust him because he's like you. Except with dating and dancing." The Doctor looked back at Rose and shook his head. "What?"

"You just assume I'm…" the Doctor trailed off.

"What?" Rose repeated.

"You just assume I don't dance," the Doctor said. I frowned. The Doctor danced?

"What? Are you telling me you do dance?" Rose grinned.

"900 years old, me. I've been around a bit," the Doctor replied. "I think you can assume at some point I've danced." Rose's grin widened and I couldn't help a smile of my own.

"You?" Rose and I asked, not really believing him.

"Problem?"

"Doesn't the universe implode or something if you dance?"

"Well, I've got the moves, but I wouldn't want to boast." Rose and I exchanged wide grins and I nodded at her. This was something I wanted to see just as much as her. Rose walked over to the radio and turned up the still playing "Blue Moon." She walked towards him and held out a hand.

"You've got the moves?" she asked. "Show me your moves." The Doctor looked extremely thrown, as if he hadn't been expecting her to do that.

"Rose, I'm trying to resonate concrete," he told her sternly.

"Jack will be back. He'll get us out. So, come on," she insisted. I bit back snickers as I watched the Doctor falter. He looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Keep at it, Rosie," I called. "It's not every day you get to see the Doctor squirm." Rose and I grinned at each other while the Doctor scowled.

"The world doesn't end because the Doctor dances," Rose encouraged. The Doctor turned off the sonic and jumped down from the window. He stood right in front of Rose and looked at her. Suddenly, he grabbed her hands.

"Barrage balloon," he said.

"What?" Rose asked, confused.

"You were hanging from a barrage balloon." I quickly, but stealthily slipped my still gloved hands into my jacket pockets.

"Oh. Yeah. About two minutes after you left us," Rose said. "Thousands of feet above London, middle of a German air raid, Union Jack all over my chest, American Flag all over Viviana's."

"I've travelled with a lot of people, but you two are setting new records for jeopardy

friendly," the Doctor said.

"Is this you dancing because I've got notes," Rose spoke up.

"Hanging from a rope, thousands of feet above London," the Doctor ignored her last comment. "Not a cut, not a bruise." I buried my hands deeper into my pockets.

"Yeah, I know. Captain Jack fixed me up," Rose explained.

"Oh, we're calling him Captain Jack now, are we?" the Doctor asked.

"His name's Jack and he's a captain."

"He's not really a captain, Rose."

"He did use psychic paper," I called to them.

"Do you know what I think?" Rose ignored me. "I think you're experiencing captain-envy." The Doctor didn't reply and merely pulled Rose into a dancing position "You will find your feet at the end of your legs. You may care to move them," Rose teased.

"If ever he was a captain, he's been defrocked," the Doctor said. The Doctor pulled Rose quite close and I felt a pang in my gut. I looked around the room, thinking it was one of my feelings, but saw nothing. We were safe. So, what was that all about?

"Yeah? Shame I missed that," Rose replied.

"Actually I quit. Nobody takes my frock," I heard Jack say. I squealed slightly as I found myself falling. Jack had teleported us to his ship, meaning I was no longer sitting in a wheelchair. Jack and the Doctor moved to catch me but didn't quite make it.

"You know, Jack," I teased as he helped me up. "That's the second time you've failed to catch me. No girl likes a guy who slacks on the job." Jack smiled flirtatiously at me.

"But I've always been there to help you back up again," he said. I smiled back at him and nodded.

"True."

"Hands, Viviana." I whirled around, startled at the Doctor's stern tone.

"What?"

"Your hands, let me see them," he said coming towards me. I held them up briefly.

"Look, they're fine, Doctor," I tried. The Doctor paused and I thought I was in the clear.

"You weren't wearing gloves before," he said. I slowly backed away from him but the Doctor reached out and grabbed my arm.

"No, Doctor! Doctor, stop!" It was too late. The Doctor removed my glove and stared at my bloody and now scabbed hands.

"Oh, my God," Rose exclaimed.

"Viviana, you should've told me." Jack's tone was slightly scolding but I ignored it. I tore my hand away from the Doctor and removed my other glove.

"And what's that?" he asked pointing to my neck. I blushed. I had been able to keep the burn hidden with by braid, but it had been pushed aside.

"It's a burn from the console," I said quietly. To be honest, it didn't hurt… that much. The Doctor gave me a very stern look. "I didn't want to worry you." The Doctor was about to reply but paused.

"This is a Chula ship," he observed looking around Jack's ship.

"Yeah, just like that medical transporter," Jack replied. "Only this one is dangerous." The Doctor snapped and a bunch of Nanogenes swirled around his hand.

"They're what fixed my hands up!" Rose exclaimed. "Jack called them…"

"They're Nanogenes," I said.

"Subatomic robots. There are millions of them in here. See?" the Doctor said. "Burned my hand on the console when we landed. All better now. They activate when the bulkhead's sealed. Check you out for damage, fix any physical flaws. You, here." I didn't argue with the Doctor and walked over to him. He had the Nanogenes fix my hands first. They were still bloody, but they no longer throbbed or looked damaged in any way. Then, the Doctor put a hand on my neck. I blushed slightly at the intimate contact, but swallowed it. Now was not the time to get all swoony. Once the Nanogenes were done healing me, the Doctor removed his hand and dispersed them.

"Take us to the crash site," the Doctor said to Jack. "I need to see your space junk."

"Soon as I get the Nav-Com back online. Make yourself comfortable," Jack replied, his tone annoyed. "Carry on with whatever it was you were doing."

"We were talking about dancing," the Doctor said innocently.

"It didn't look like talking," Jack teased.

"It didn't look like dancing, either," I smirked.

"It didn't feel like dancing," Rose backed me up. The Doctor looked between the three of us, unsure what to say. Then, he moved and sat down a little ways away from us. I went to go sit next to him.

"You should've told me about your hands, Viviana," he said.

"What were you going to do about it back there, huh? Sonic them, confirm they were rope burns?" I replied. The Doctor rolled his eyes, but knew I was right.

"Just, tell me next time," he said.

"Next time? I don't know about Rose, but I don't plan on hanging from a barrage balloon during a German air raid ever again." I was trying to lighten the mood, but it didn't work. The Doctor gave me a look and I caved. "Fine, I'll tell you."

"Promise?" I stuck out my pinky.

"Promise." The Doctor gave me a weird look but wrapped his pinky around mine nonetheless. I smiled at him and he returned it.

"So, you used to be a Time Agent and now you're trying to con them?" I heard Rose ask Jack. I looked up, curious about that too.

"If it makes me sound any better, it's not for the money," Jack replied.

"For what?"

"Woke up one morning when I was still working for them, found they'd stolen two years of my memories," Jack told her. "I'd like them back."

"They stole your memories?" Rose asked shocked.

"Two years of my life. No idea what I did." Jack looked at the Doctor. "Your friend over there doesn't trust me. And for all I know, he's right not to." I got up and walked over to stand next to Rose.

"I trust you, Jack," I told him. He gave me a small smile and I returned it. Suddenly, something beeped.

"Okay, we're good to go. The crash site?" Jack asked the Doctor. Minutes later, the four of us were walking up to the bomb site.

"There it is," Jack said once we got there. I saw guards patrolling the grounds and barbed wire surrounding the area. "They've got Algy on duty. Must be important."

"We've got to get past," the Doctor said.

"Are the words 'distract the guard' headed in my general direction?" Rose asked.

"I don't think that'd be such a good idea," Jack said. I furrowed my eyebrows. Rose was a very beautiful woman, why didn't he think it would work?

"Don't worry, I can handle it," Rose told him defensively.

"I've got to know Algy quite well since I've been in town," Jack started. "Trust me, you're not his type." My eyes widened as I realized what Jack was implying. "I'll distract him. Don't wait up." Rose and I exchanged a look.

"Relax. He's a 51st century guy," the Doctor said. "He's just a bit more flexible when it comes to dancing." I blushed at what the Doctor was implying.

"How flexible," Rose asked.

"Oh, by his time, you lot have spread out across half the galaxy."

"Meaning?"

"So many species, so little time."

"What, that's what we do when we get out there?" Rose asked amused. "That's our mission? We seek new life and… and…"

"Dance," the Doctor finished for her. I ignored the grin on his face and turned to watch Jack. He got up there and it seemed to be going fine until Algy fell to his knees. I watched in confusion as Jack backed up. I watched in horror as Algy's face transformed into a gas mask.

"Stay back!" the Doctor yelled. Rose and I followed him as he ran off. Jack repeated the command to the oncoming guards. The Doctor, Rose, and I ran up to Jack and the guards. I stopped and looked at Algy on the ground.

"It's becoming airborne," I realized.

"It's accelerating," the Doctor continued.

"What's keeping us safe?" Rose asked. The Doctor and I exchanged a look.

"Nothing," we answered grimly at the same time. I looked towards the sky as I heard the siren.

"Oh, great, that's just what we need," I grumbled.

"Didn't you say a bomb was going to land here?" Rose said to Jack. I realized she was right. I had completely forgotten about that.

"Nevermind about that," the Doctor said. "If the contaminant's airborne now, there's hours left."

"Till what?" Jack asked.

"Till nothing." the Doctor said. "Forever. For the entire human race."

"Am I the only one who hears singing?" I asked. Everyone listened and I heard a girl singing "Rockabye Baby." I followed the voice and opened a large door to reveal a teenage girl handcuffed to a table. She was singing to an affected guard. She immediately stopped singing when she heard me. She turned her head and I saw the guard stir. I immediately started singing "Rockabye Baby" and motioned for her to join me. The Doctor followed me and came to sonic the girl's handcuffs. We hurried the girl out of the shed, leaving the guard sleeping soundly. The five of us went back to the bomb site and Jack and the Doctor took the sheet off the Chula med-ship.

"You see? Just an ambulance," Jack said.

"That's an ambulance?" the girl asked.

"It's hard to explain," Rose said putting an arm around her. "It's from another world."

"They've been trying to get in," Jack said.

"Of course they have," the Doctor replied as if it were obvious. "They think they've got their hands on Hitler's latest secret weapon." I heard a couple beeps and looked over curiously. "What are you doing?"

"The sooner you see this thing's empty, the sooner you'll know I had nothing to do with it," Jack said. Suddenly, the controls sparked and everyone jumped back. I heard alarms blaring around us. "Didn't happen last time."

"It hadn't crashed last time," the Doctor pointed out. "There'll be emergency protocols."

"Doctor, what is that?" Rose asked. I saw a red light flashing on the control panel. That could not be good. I looked around, not sure what was happening. "Doctor!" Rose's voice alarmed me and I saw what she was looking at. The gates of the of the bomb site were shaking.

"Captain, secure those gates," the Doctor ordered.

"Why?"

"Just do it!" Jack obeyed and ran off towards the gates.

"Nancy, how'd you get in here?" the Doctor asked the girl.

"I cut the wire," she replied.

"Show Viviana and Rose." The Doctor tossed me the sonic. "Setting 2,428-D."

"What?" Rose asked.

"Reattaches barbed wire. Go!" I looked at Nancy.

"Lead the way," I said. She nodded and Rose and I followed her to where she came in. Soon, I saw a large hole in the fence and got to work fixing it.

"Who are you?" Nancy asked Rose and I. "Who are any of you?"

"Never believe us if we told you," Rose said.

"You just told me that was an ambulance from another world," Nancy pointed out. "There are people running around in gas masks calling for their mummies and the sky's full of Germans dropping bombs on me. Tell me, do you think there's anything left I couldn't believe." Rose and I looked at each other but I merely shrugged.

"We're time travelers from the future," Rose finally told her.

"Mad, you are," Nancy said.

"It's the truth," I commented.

"We have a time travel machine," Rose said.

"It's not that. All right, you got a time travel machine," Nancy said. "I believe you. Believe anything, me. But what future." I looked at Nancy briefly and saw the despair in her eyes. She truly did believe there couldn't be a future. Then again, we were in the middle of World War II. In times like this, lots of people thought there couldn't be a future. But there was something else too…

"Nancy, this isn't the end," Rose assured her. "I know how it looks, it's not the end of the world or anything."

"How can you say that?" Nancy cried. "Look at it!" I looked to the sky and saw what she meant. Barrage balloons, planes, and explosions decorated the sky.

"Listen to me. I was born in this city," Rose said. "I'm from here in like 50 years' time."

"From here?"

"I'm a Londoner." Rose smiled. "From your future."

"But…" Nancy trailed off. "But you're not…"

"What?" Rose asked.

"German?"

"Nancy," Rose said. "The German's don't come here. They don't win."

"In fact," I spoke up as I finished with the barbed wire. "You're going to get a new ally soon."

"A new ally?" Nancy asked.

"The US."

"Right. I'll believe that when I see it. They don't want anything to do with this war."

"Nancy, I'm going to tell you a secret," I said with a wink. "Now, you can't tell anyone, promise?" She nodded. "December 7th, 1941. In December of this year, the Japanese are going to bomb the little island of Pearl Harbor. Thousands of Americans will die and they will decide that they can't ignore the war any longer. They will fight, against the Nazis and the Japanese. They don't win this war."

"Don't tell anyone we told you this, but…" Rose said. "You win."

"We win?" Nancy breathed. Rose and I smiled at the girl.

"Come on," Rose said. The three of us got up and made our way back to the Doctor and Jack. When we got there, Jack was opening the med-ship.

"It's empty. Look at it," he said.

"What do you expect in a Chula medical transporter?" the Doctor asked Rose and I. "Bandages? Cough drops?" I frowned. I hadn't thought about that before. Now that I did think about it, I had no idea what to expect.

"I don't know," Rose said. I merely shrugged.

"Yes, you do," the Doctor said. The Doctor held up his hands, and my frown deepened.

"Nanogenes!" Rose cried. My eyes widened when I realized the Doctor was miming summoning the little robots. But if Nanogenes were in the ambulance, that meant…

"It wasn't empty, Captain. There was enough Nanogenes in there to rebuild a species." I looked over at Jack, feeling slightly overwhelmed at that piece of information. I could only imagine how he felt. Jack looked shaken and horrified.

"Oh, God," he breathed.

"Getting it now, are we?" the Doctor said. "When the ship crashes, the Nanogenes escape. Billions upon billions of them. Ready to fix all the cuts and bruises in the whole world. But what they find first is a dead child. Probably killed earlier that night. And wearing a gas mask."

"And they brought him back to life? They can do that?" Rose asked.

"What's life? Life's easy. A quirk of matter," the Doctor said. "Nature's way of keeping meat fresh. Nothing to a Nanogene. One problem, though. These nanogenes, they're not like the ones on your ship. This lot have never seen a human being before. Don't know what a human being's supposed to look like. All they've got to go on is one little body, and there's not a lot left. But they carry right on. They do what they're programmed to do, they patch it up. Can't tell what's a gas mask and what's a skull, but they do their best. And then off they fly, off they go, work to be done. 'Cause you see, now they think they know what people should look like. And it's time to fix all the rest. And they won't ever stop. They won't ever stop. The entire human race is going to be torn down and rebuilt in the form of one terrified child looking for its mother. And nothing in the world can stop it!"

"I didn't know," Jack's tone was defiant. The Doctor looked at him darkly before walking towards the front of the ship. I walked over to Jack, feeling as shaken as he looked. This situation was a lot worse than I could've ever imagined.

"Are you okay?" I asked him softly. Jack gave me a look. "Sorry, bad question. Jack, there was no way you could've known."

"I should've known," he said.

"There was no reason to think nanogenes were in there," I said. It was true. Most people probably wouldn't have ever thought about checking for nanogenes. I had the sneaking suspicion the Doctor only knew because Jack's space ship had them.

"There's no way you're going to convince me this wasn't my fault," Jack said.

"Did you rewrite the boy's DNA?" I asked.

"No…"

"Then, not all of this is your fault," I concluded. "Yes, you're responsible for the ship crashing, but not for the nanogenes escaping and changing the human race." Jack opened his mouth to argue but I raised an eyebrow at him. He closed his mouth and smiled at me.

"Thanks, Viviana." I smiled.

"Despite what the Doctor says or thinks, you're not entirely to blame, Jack." I walked away from him and returned to Rose. Nancy was walking away from the med-ship slightly.

"Rose! Viviana!" she suddenly called. The two of us looked up and ran to her side. My eyes widened when I saw countless patients coming towards us. Countless cried for "mummy" filled my ears and I backed up slightly. Rose ran over to the Doctor.

"It's bringing the gas mask people here, isn't it?" she asked him.

"The ship thinks it's under attack," he replied. "It's calling up the troops. Standard protocol."

"But… the gas mask people aren't troops," Rose said.

"They are now. This is a battlefield ambulance." Nancy and I joined the Doctor and Rose. Jack was making his way to us as well. "The nanogenes don't just fix you up, they get you ready for the frontline. Equip you, program you."

"That's why the child's so strong?" Rose asked. "Why it could do that phoning thing?"

"It's a fully equipped Chula warrior, yes," the Doctor said. "All that weapons tech in the hands of a hysterical four year old looking for his mummy and now there's an army of them." More of the affected people began to surround the bomb site.

"Why don't they attack?" Jack asked.

"Good little soldiers. Waiting for their commander," the Doctor explained.

"The boy?" I breathed. "Doctor, you can't be serious! He's just a little boy…" I trailed off. "Four years old."

"What?" the Doctor asked.

"You said he was four years old," I realized. "Doctor, how did you know that?" The man didn't reply, but I saw his eyes flick to Nancy for a second. "We know next to nothing about him. We don't know who his mother is, how to help him. We don't even know his name."

"Jamie," I heard. I turned to Nancy.

"What?"

"His name is Jamie," she said. I studied her for a moment.

"So how long until the bomb falls?" Rose asked Jack nervously. I blinked, having completely forgotten about that… again.

"Any second," Jack answered.

"What's the matter, Captain? Bit too close to the volcano for you?" the Doctor snarked.

"He's just a little boy," Nancy whispered.

"I know," the Doctor replied, his tone now warm.

"He's just a little boy who wants his mummy."

"I know. There isn't a little boy born who wouldn't tear the world apart to save his mummy. And this little boy can."

"So, what are we going to do?" Rose asked.

"I don't know," the Doctor said. I saw tears well up in Nancy's eyes and my curiosity about her only grew.

"It's my fault," Nancy said. I looked over at her for that.

"No," the Doctor assured her.

"It is. It's all my fault."

"How can it be your…" the Doctor trailed off as the affected people around us began crying for their mummies again. The five of us looked around, startled, but I stopped when I saw Nancy begin to cry. I silently hugged the girl and looked at the Doctor. He looked down at her.

'_She's hiding something,'_ I heard the Doctor say.

'_She knows about Jamie, she obviously cares for him. But… this is affecting her far more than it would if she wasn't related to him in some way.'_

'_She said he was her younger brother.'_

'_Look at her, Doctor.'_ He did. _'This is more than that. She thinks this was all her fault. She's very defensive of Jamie, she cares about him a lot. She sang to the guard like a mother would to a child. She's got that look… a mother's protectiveness and love.'_

'_She takes care of the kids on the streets.'_

'_See, that right there proves it. Most people on the streets have a hard enough time feeding themselves and their families. They take whatever they can get. A normal, teenage girl wouldn't take care of and feed the other kids unless she herself was a mother. She's been lying to us. Jamie's not her brother. Jamie's her son.'_

"Nancy, what age are you?" the Doctor asked aloud. The girl began crying even harder into my shoulder. "20? 21? Older than you look, yes?" A bomb fell nearby and the ground shook.

"Doctor, that bomb, we've got seconds," Jack spoke up.

"You can teleport us out," Rose said.

"Not you guys," he told her. The Doctor and I ignored the pair of them and focused solely on the sobbing girl in my arms. "The Nav-Com's back online, going to take too long to override the protocols."

"So, it's Volcano Day," the Doctor said still staring at Nancy. "Do what you've got to do."

"Jack," Rose said. I heard the betrayal lacing her voice and I tried to keep my own from showing. Jack gave me one last look before teleporting away.

"How old were you five years ago?" the Doctor asked Nancy. "15? 16? Old enough to give birth, anyway." Nancy brought her head from my shoulder and sniffed. "He's not your brother, is he?" I stopped hugging her, but kept an arm around her shoulder as I stood next to her. Nancy shook her head, close to tears again. "A teenage, single mother in 1941. So you hid. You lied. You even lied to him." Suddenly, the gates to the bomb site opened, revealing lots of affecting people and Jamie.

"Are you my mummy?" he asked.

"He's going to keep asking, Nancy," the Doctor told her. "He's never going to stop."

"Mummy."

"Tell him," the Doctor said. Nancy shook her head.

"Nancy," she looked at me as I spoke. "Remember what I told you about the war?" she nodded. "I was telling the truth. There's a future out there. For you and Jamie. But you've got to tell him." Nancy looked at me and I gave her shoulder an encouraging squeeze. Jamie and his troops had begun to move towards us.

"Nancy, the future of the human race is in your hands," the Doctor said. "Trust us and tell him." Jamie came a little further towards us.

"Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy?" Jamie cried. Nancy walked towards him as he continued asking.

"Yes, I am your mummy," she said through tears.

"Mummy?" More bombs fell in the distance.

"I'm here."

"Are you my mummy?" I began to frown. Why wasn't this working?

"I'm here," Nancy said as she kneeled before Jamie.

"Are you my mummy?"

"Yes."

"Are you my mummy?"

"He doesn't understand. There's not enough of him left," the Doctor realized.

"I am your mummy. I will always be your mummy," Nancy said. She reached forward and hugged Jamie tightly. As Jamie hugged her back, thousands of nanogenes filled the air around them. My eyes widened.

"What's happening?" Rose breathed. The Doctor and I looked at each other in shock. "Doctor, it's changing her, we should…"

"Shh," the Doctor shushed her. "Come on. Please!" I took the Doctor's hand in excitement, barely daring to hope. "Come on, you clever little nanogenes. Figure it out. The mother, she's the mother. It's got to be enough information. Figure it out."

"What's happening?" Rose asked.

"The DNA," I breathed. I felt a tear of happiness fall down my cheek. "They're recognizing the same DNA." Nancy suddenly fell away from Jamie and the nanogenes dispersed. The Doctor, Rose, and I ran over to them.

"Come on. Give me a day like this," the Doctor practically pleaded. I squeezed his hand before letting go. "Give me this one." The Doctor hesitantly reached down and pulled the gas mask from Jamie's head, revealing a perfectly normal little boy. The nanogenes had fixed him! The Doctor laughed ecstatically and lifted Jamie into the air.

"Welcome back! 20 years to pop music, you're going to love it."

"What happened?" Nancy asked in wonder as the Doctor hugged Jamie, still laughing.

"The nanogenes recognized the superior information. The parent DNA," the Doctor explained. "They didn't change you because you changed them. Mother knows best." The Doctor put down Jamie and Nancy immediately hugged him. My good mood was slightly killed by a bomb landing nearby.

"Doctor, the bomb…" Rose breathed.

"Taken care of it," he answered. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"How?" Rose asked.

"Psychology," the Doctor said simply. I looked up and saw the bomb coming towards us. Then, suddenly, it stopped. I saw the blue beam suspending it only feet above the med-ship and laughed in relief.

"Doctor!" Jack called down. He was currently sitting on the bomb in the beam, his spaceship hovering above it.

"Good lad!"

"The bomb's already commenced detonation. I've put it in stasis, but it won't last," Jack informed him. My good mood faltered again slightly.

"Change of plan! Don't need the bomb," the Doctor replied. "Can you get rid of it? Safely as you can?"

"Rose? Viviana?"

"Yeah?" Rose called up.

"Goodbye," Jack said before beaming back into the ship. "By the way." He reappeared. "Love the shirts." Jack looked at me one last time before returning to the ship. Rose and I pulled at our shirts self-consciously. Jack flew his ship away and I turned to see the Doctor with his hands up. Soon, countless nanogenes surrounded his hands.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked.

"Software patch," the Doctor replied. "Going to email the upgrade. You want moves, Rose? I'll give you moves." The Doctor thrust his hands forward and the nanogenes flew towards the patients and guards, getting to work fixing them. The Doctor looked overfilled with joy. I had never seen him looking happier.

"Everybody lives, Rose, Viviana. Just this once! Everybody lives!" Rose and I hugged each other, completely happy and relieved when we saw everyone had been changed back into ordinary humans. The Doctor ran forward, talking to Dr. Constantine. When he came back, he climbed on top of the med-ship.

"Right, you lot!" he called. "Lots to do. Beat the Germans, save the world. Don't forget the welfare state!" He lowered his voice so only Rose and I could hear. "Setting this thing to self-destruct, soon as everybody's clear. History says there was an explosion here. Who am I to argue with history?" I snorted in laughter.

"Usually, the first in line," Rose voiced my thoughts. The Doctor smiled at the two of us and we returned it with smiles of our own. Once he was done, the three of us made our way back to the TARDIS.

"The nanogenes will clean up the mess and switch themselves off, 'cause I just told them to," the Doctor said as we entered the TARDIS. "Nancy and Jamie will go to Dr. Constantine for help, ditto. All in all, all things considered. Fantastic!"

"Look at you beaming away like you're Father Christmas," Rose said grinning.

"Who says I'm not?" the Doctor said. He pointed at us. "Red bicycle and a guitar when you two were 12?"

"What?" Rose and I breathed in equal shock.

"And everybody lives," the Doctor ignored us. "Everybody lives. I need more days like this!"

"Doctor," Rose spoke up. I knew she and I were thinking the same thing.

"Go on, ask me anything. I'm on fire."

"What about Jack?" The Doctor didn't answer. "Why did he say goodbye?" The Doctor flew the TARDIS somewhere and I looked at him. The Doctor nodded and "Moonlight Serenade" began playing as I walked out. The Doctor and Rose began dancing as I went to go get Jack.

"Funny thing…" I heard Jack say. "Last time I was sentenced to death, I ordered four hyper-vodkas for breakfast. All a bit of a blur after that. Woke up in bed with both my executioners. Hmm, lovely couple. They stayed in touch! Can't say that about most executioners. Anyway, thanks for everything, computer. It's been great." Jack toasted with the martini he was holding and drank.

"Both of them?" I spoke. Jack whirled around and saw me standing there. "Why on earth would you need two executioners?"

"Viviana? What are you doing here?" Jack demanded. I rolled my eyes.

"Saving you of course. Come on, then." I lead Jack into the TARDIS to find the Doctor and Rose dancing… awkwardly. Jack paused and looked all around the TARDIS while I went to go sit on the captain's chair. Rose was instructing the Doctor on how to dance and I snickered at the two of them. Jack was still staring at the TARDIS in wonder.

"Close the door, will you," the Doctor said to Jack. "Your ship's about to blow up, there's going to be a draft." The Doctor pulled a lever on the console and Rose smiled at Jack flirtatiously.

"Welcome to the TARDIS, Jack," I said.

"Much bigger on the inside," Jack breathed.

"You'd better be."

"I think what the Doctor's trying to say is," Rose spoke, "you may cut in."

"Rose! I've just remembered," the Doctor exclaimed.

"What?" "In the Mood" started playing and the Doctor grinned.

"I can dance!" The Doctor began swinging to the music.

"Actually, Doctor, I thought Jack might like this dance," Rose said.

"I wasn't asking you." Before I knew it, the Doctor had taken my hand and pulled me up to stand in front of him.

"Doctor! What are you…?" I trailed off when the Doctor put a hand on my waist and pulled me close… really close. I felt my cheeks flare up and butterflies filled my stomach, but ignored them. The Doctor merely grinned at me and spun me around. I smiled and laughed with the Doctor as we danced all around the console. It was like the Doctor had been pretending to be a bad dancer before, he was that good. The Doctor and I ignored Rose and Jack as they stared at us and continued to dance all around the console. Soon, Jack and Rose had even started dancing themselves. At one point, the Doctor dipped me low over his arm, earning a laugh of delight from me. When he pulled me up, we laughed together and continued our dance.


	11. Chapter 11

**Episode 11 "Boom Town"**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Mickey and Margaret Come to Visit**

The Doctor and I landed the TARDIS in Cardiff and got ready to refuel the TARDIS. Some energy from the rift in 1869 was still hanging around and it was perfect for the TARDIS. But, I knew there was another reason we were there. The Doctor started doing maintenance on the TARDIS and a few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Jack opened it immediately and popped his head out.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked without hesitation.

"What do you mean, who the hell am I? Who the hell are you?" I heard Mickey reply rather rudely.

"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack introduced. "Whatever you're selling, we're not buying."

"Get out of my way!" Mickey forced his way into the TARDIS and I smiled.

"Don't tell me, this must be Mickey," I heard Jack say.

"Here comes trouble," the Doctor teased. "How you doing, Ricky boy?"

"It's Mickey!"

"Don't listen to him, he's winding you up," Rose said. Mickey walked up to her. She was standing in front of the console whereas I was standing behind it.

"You look fantastic," Mickey complimented her. Rose smiled and they hugged each other.

"Ah, sweet. Look at these two," Jack commented from the side. He turned to the Doctor. "How come I never get any of that?"

"Buy me a drink first," the Doctor replied. I shook my head at the two of them, but couldn't help but smile.

"You're such hard work," Jack complained.

"But worth it," the Doctor said with a satisfied grin.

"Oh, don't mind me," I spoke up. "Just enjoying life as a fifth wheel." Jack grinned, but it wasn't a normal grin. Mickey handed Rose her passport as I ran from Jack.

"Jack! Stop it!" I screamed slightly as he caught me from behind and lifted me in the air.

"Got you, Ana!" he said laughing, using his nickname for me. He threw me in the air; much like the Doctor had done when he was taking me to the wardrobe before our adventure with the Gelth. However, before I fell back through the air, I twisted and managed to grab onto the gantry. I hauled myself up quickly and smirked at Jack. Jack was about to walk up to me when Mickey spoke.

"So, what are you doing in Cardiff? And who the hell's Jumping Jack Flash?" Jack looked over at him, offended. I mean, I don't mind you hanging out with big ears up there."

"Oi!" the Doctor cried, indignant.

"Look in the mirror!" Mickey shot back.

"But this guy," Mickey said referring to Jack, "I don't know, he's kind of…"

"Handsome?" Jack offered.

"More like cheesy."

"Early 21st century slang? Is cheesy good or bad?" Jack asked.

"It's bad," Mickey said. I frowned. Cheesy wasn't always a bad thing. I sometimes liked cheesy.

"But bad means good, isn't that right?" Jack said. The Doctor climbed down the ladder he was on.

"Are you saying I'm not handsome?" he asked us. Everyone ignored him and I giggled. The Doctor looked at me with a scolding look. I shrugged, but had a smile on my face. In all honesty, I found the Doctor to be very handsome. It just was a different kind of handsome from Jack. The Doctor sighed and helped me down from the gantry. I ignored my butterflies as he held my waist and fought a blush. I didn't get it! I didn't feel that way about the Doctor! But… the butterflies and blushes had been more frequent since the Doctor and I danced in the TARDIS… but there was nothing to it. I was just being silly. I quickly kissed the Doctor on the cheek. Ever since I had done that when we were trapped in the hospital, it became my thing to do to cheer him up. The Doctor gave me a smile and I returned it. I looked at Rose and Mickey as she explained the rift to Mickey, but he wasn't quite getting it.

"Like filling her up with petrol and off we go!" Rose said describing how the TARDIS soaked up the rift energy.

"Into time!" Jack said hi-fiving Rose.

"And space!" The Doctor, Jack, Rose, and I said enthusiastically. Hi-fives were exchanged and the four of us laughed and smiled in unison. Mickey was standing off to the side, watching us.

"My God, have you seen yourselves?" Mickey said looking at us in disbelief. "You all think you're so clever, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

"Yep."

"Yes," The Doctor, Rose, Jack, and I said. The four of us had identical grins on our faces. Jack gave Mickey a friendly slap on the cheek and we all exited the TARDIS.

"Should take another 24 hours which means we've got time to kill," the Doctor said.

"That old lady's staring," Mickey said uncomfortably.

"Probably wondering what five people can do inside a small wooden box," Jack joked.

"What are you captain of? The Innuendo Squad?" Mickey asked as the rest of us snickered. Jack made a "whatever" sign and began to walk off. I gave Mickey a friendly pat on the shoulder and followed Jack.

"Wait, the TARDIS, you can't just leave it," Mickey protested as we walked off. We all turned back. "Doesn't it get noticed?"

"Yeah, what's with the police box? Why does it look like that?" Jack asked.

"It's a cloaking device," Rose said.

"It's called a chameleon circuit," the Doctor said. "The TARDIS is meant to disguise itself wherever it lands. Like, if this was Ancient Rome, it'd be a statue on a plinth or something like that. But I landed in the 1960's, it disguised itself as a police box and the circuit got stuck." I rolled my eyes. The Doctor had broken the circuit, it didn't get stuck.

"So, it copied a real thing? There actually was police boxes?" Mickey asked.

"Yeah, on street corners. You could phone for help before there were radios and mobiles. If they arrested somebody, they could shove them inside till help came," the Doctor explained. "Like a little prison cell."

"Why don't you just fix the circuit?" Jack asked.

"Well, he could," I said, "but I personally love the police box look."

"Me too," the Doctor and Rose agreed.

"But that's what I meant, there's no police boxes anymore," Mickey pointed out, "so doesn't it get noticed?"

"Ricky, let me tell you something about the human race," the Doctor said to Mickey. "You put a mysterious blue box slap-bang in the middle of town, what do they do?" Mickey was about to reply but the Doctor cut him off. "Walk past it. Now, stop your nagging, let's go and explore." The Doctor grabbed my hand as he began to walk away.

"What's the plan?" Rose asked.

"No idea," the Doctor replied. "Cardiff, early 21st century, and the wind's coming from the… east. Trust me. Safest place in the universe."

"Oh, don't say that!" I complained. "You'll jinx it!" The Doctor merely grinned and the five of us walked around Cardiff. We eventually found a little restaurant on the water. We all sat down and Jack began to tell us a story.

"I swear, six feet tall and with tusks-"

"You're lying through your teeth!" the Doctor protested. Rose and Jack sat on one end of the table while I sat between Mickey and the Doctor on the other side of the table.

"It turns out the white things are tusks, and I mean, tusks!" Jack continued. "And it's woken and it's not happy."

"How could you not know it was there?" the Doctor asked him.

"We're standing there, 15 of us, naked," Jack described. It was hard for me to not bust out laughing at this story.

"Naked?" Rose cried.

"And I'm like, 'No, no, no, it's got nothing to do with me.' And then it roars, and we're running. Oh, my God, we are running! And Brakovitch falls so I turn to him and I say-"

"I knew we should've turned left!" Mickey finished. The five of us roared with laughter.

"That's my line!"

"I don't believe you, I don't believe a word you say, ever. That is so brilliant!" Rose said through her laughter. "Did you ever get your clothes back?" I turned as I saw the Doctor get up out of the corner of my eye. I watched curiously as he took a newspaper from a man's hands and looked at the front page.

"Doctor, what is it?" I asked getting up. He didn't answer and I looked at the front page. My entire face and mood fell in a second.

"And I was having such a nice day," the Doctor said. The Doctor showed the other three of the front page. The headline was "New Mayor, new Cardiff" and it was paired with a picture of Margaret Blaine, the female Slitheen from Downing Street. Rose and Mickey's faces fell and we all explained the situation to Jack. Before too long, the five of us were walking into the town hall, the mayor's headquarters.

"According to intelligence," Jack started, "the target is the last surviving member of the Slitheen family, a criminal sect from the planet Raxacoricofallapatorious, masquerading as a human being, zipped inside a skin suit. Okay, plan of attack. We assume a basic 57-56 strategy, covering all available exits on the ground floor. Doctor, you go face to face, that'll designate Exit 1. I'll cover Exit 2. Rose, Ana, you Exit 3, Mickey Smith, you take Exit 4. Have you got that?"

"Excuse me, who's in charge?" the Doctor asked sternly. I rolled my eyes at him. I doubted he could come up with a better plan than that.

"Sorry, awaiting your orders, sir," Jack said slightly annoyed.

"Right, here's the plan." There was a pause and the Doctor grinned. "Like he said. Nice plan. Anything else?"

"Present arms," Jack said. All of us held up cell phones and got ready. "See you in hell." Jack went right and I followed Rose a little to the right of where the Doctor was going. In a minute, Rose and I put our phones to our ears.

"Slitheen heading north," the Doctor said.

"On our way," Rose replied.

"Over and out," Jack said. Rose and I ran off, passing a few employees and knocking papers out of their arms. Rose and I soon found the exit and ran outside. Rose and I sprinted around a corner to see Margaret standing there. I heard her growl and hiss at us before taking off one of her earrings. Margaret looked behind her and saw Jack racing towards us. I saw her run back the way she came and Rose and I followed her. Rose and I rounded the corner at the same time as Jack and the Doctor got down from the scaffolding. Jack and I raced towards her, Rose and the Doctor not far behind us.

"Who's on Exit 4?" Jack yelled.

"That was Mickey!" Rose realized.

"Here I am!" I heard Mickey yell as he caught up to us.

"Mickey the Idiot," the Doctor mocked.

"Not the time, Doctor," I scolded lightly.

"Oh, be fair," Rose agreed, "she's not exactly going to outrun us, is she?" Right as Rose said that, Margaret disappeared.

"She's got a teleport! That's cheating! Now we're never going to get her!" Jack cried.

"I wouldn't be so sure," I said as the Doctor pulled out the sonic. He and I smiled at each other before he flashed it. Margaret reappeared, running towards us. She saw us before stopping and turning around, teleporting away again. The Doctor merely flashed the sonic again and Margaret appeared, this time closer to us. Again, she turned and ran the other direction before teleporting away a third time. The Doctor flashed the sonic once more and Margaret, once again, appeared. She was right in front of us when she stopped running and kneeled over, breathing very heavily.

"I could do this all day," the Doctor said with a cheery smile.

"This is persecution," Margaret panted. "Why can't you leave me alone? What did I ever do to you?" I glared at her.

"You infiltrated the British government, killed several innocent people, attempted to kill the Doctor, Harriet, and I, and tried to destroy planet Earth," I listed off.

"Apart from that," Margaret said dismissing all I had said as if it were nothing. My glare deepened. The Doctor led all of us back into the town hall, trying to figure out what Margaret was planning.

"So, you're a Slitheen, you're on planet Earth, you're trapped," he said as we entered the exhibition room. "Your family get killed, but you teleport out, just in the nick of time. You have no means of escape, what do you do? You build a nuclear power station. But what for?" The Doctor went to go look at the model of the nuclear power station in the middle of the room.

"A philanthropic gesture. I've learnt the error of my ways," Margaret said. I rolled my eyes, not believing that for a second. I went to look at the model.

"And it just so happens to be right on top of the rift," the Doctor added.

"What rift would that be?"

"A rift in space and time," Jack answered. "If this power station went into meltdown, the entire planet would go schwwwupboom. " I raised my eyebrows as Jack made an interesting sound while modeling the planet imploding with his hands.

"This station is designed to explode the minute it reaches capacity," the Doctor said looking at the model.

"Didn't anyone notice?" Rose asked. "Isn't there someone in London checking this sort of stuff?"

"We're in Cardiff. London doesn't care," Margaret said. "The South Wales coast could fall into the sea and they wouldn't notice. Oh! I sound like a Welshman. God help me, I've gone native."

"But why would she do that?" Mickey asked. "A great big explosion, she'd only end up killing herself." Mickey had a point and I studied the model even harder, maybe for something I missed. I blocked out the others and studied the board some more. I slowly walked forward and ran my hand along some of it. Suddenly, I saw it.

"I'm sorry, what is this?" I asked as I reached forward. I pulled up part of the model and flipped it over. I saw a circuit board type thing and looked at the Doctor for help.

"Fantastic," he said taking it from me.

"Is that a tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator?" Jack asked excitedly. I rolled my eyes. Boys and their toys.

"Couldn't have put it better myself," the Doctor replied. Jack reached forward and pulled the board from the Doctor.

"Genius!" he cried. "You didn't build this." Margaret continued on with Jack, but something on the wall caught my eye.

"Doctor…" I breathed. I looked at the name of the power station. Bleiddiaid Drwg. He and I both walked forward, looking at the banner for the project.

"How did you think of the name?" the Doctor asked after Jack finished explaining how Margaret was going to use the explosion to destroy planet Earth, open the rift, and ride the extrapolator back to civilization.

"What? Bleiddiaid Drwg? It's Welsh," Margaret answered.

"We know, but how did you come up with it?" I asked.

"I chose it at random, that's all, I don't know. Just sounded good. Does it matter?" The Doctor and I exchanged a look before turning around to face Margaret, Jack, Rose, and Mickey.

"Bleiddiaid Drwg," the Doctor repeated.

"What's it mean?" Rose asked.

"Bad Wolves," the Doctor and I said at the same time. Rose's face took on a haunted expression.

"But I've heard that before. Bad Wolves. I've heard that lots of times," Rose said.

"We both have," I added. I was beginning to think these words weren't a coincidence. They meant something.

"Everywhere we go. Two words. Following us. Bad Wolves," the Doctor said.

"How can they be following us?" Rose breathed. The Doctor paused before blowing it off.

"Nah, just a coincidence," he said. I looked at him surprised about to protest.

'_Not here, not now.'_ I closed my mouth, seeing what he was doing. He didn't want to scare Rose.

"Like hearing a word on the radio then hearing it all day. Nevermind. Things to do. Margaret, we're going to take you home."

"Hold on, isn't that the easy option, like letting her go?" Jack protested.

"I don't believe it, we actually get to go to Raxa…" Rose trailed off, not quite sure how to say it. I elbowed the Doctor when he dramatically rolled his eyes. "Wait a minute, Raxacor…"

"Raxacoricofallapatorious," the Doctor said quickly, not at all helping her.

"Raxacorico…" Rose said getting the first half right. I nodded and smiled at her.

"Fallapatorious," the Doctor finished.

"Raxacoricofallapatorious!" Rose said getting it right. She squealed in delight.

"That's it!" the Doctor said. They hugged quickly before Rose threw her arms around me.

"I did it!" she cheered.

"You did it!" I replied. She and I laughed together. Rose put her arm around my shoulder and I put mine around her waist, both of us still smiling.

"They have the death penalty," Margaret murmured on the other side of the room. Everyone stopped and looked at her. "The family Slitheen was tried in its absence many years ago and found guilty. With no chance of appeal. According to the statutes of government, the moment I return, I'm to be executed. What do you make of that, Doctor? Take me home and you take me to my death." The Doctor remained indifferent.

"Not my problem." The Doctor, Jack, Rose, Mickey, and I took Margaret back to the TARDIS. By this time, night had fallen.

"This ship is impossible!" Margaret said in wonder. "It's superb! How do you get the outside around the inside?"

"Like I'd give you the secret, yeah," the Doctor replied.

"I almost feel better about being defeated," Margaret said. I looked up from the console. "I never stood a chance. This is the technology of the gods."

"Don't worship me, I'd make a very bad god," the Doctor said. "You wouldn't get a day off, for starters. Jack, how we doing, big fella?" Jack was sitting on the floor next to the console, wiring the extrapolator into the TARDIS.

"This extrapolator's top of the range. Where did you get it?" Jack asked Margaret.

"I don't know, some airlock sale," Margaret replied.

"Must've been a great big heist. It's stacked with power," Jack said.

"But we can use it for fuel?" the Doctor asked.

"It's not compatible," Jack replied.

"It'll shave off 12 hours of refueling time but that's it," I continued. "We can leave in the morning."

"Then, we're stuck here overnight," the Doctor realized.

"I'm in no hurry," Margaret said. I rolled my eyes. Well, no, she wouldn't be.

"We've got a prisoner," Rose said. "The police box is really a police box." I smiled, realizing she was right.

"You're not just police, though," Margaret spoke up. "Since you're taking me to my death, that makes you my executioners. Each and every one of you."

"Well, you deserve it," Mickey told her coldly.

"You're very quick to say so. And you're very quick to soak your hands in my blood. Which makes you better than me how, exactly?" Mickey didn't answer. None of us did. "Long night ahead." Margaret made herself comfortable in the captain's chair. "Let's see who can look me in the eye." She looked at Mickey first. He looked at her for a few seconds before turning away. Rose very quickly averted her gaze from the woman when she looked at her. Jack, like Mickey, was able to hold her gaze for a few seconds before going back to the extrapolator. I felt her gaze on me and looked up at her. I was shocked at how beady her eyes were, but managed to hold her gaze. I raised an eyebrow at her before going back to working on the console. Soon, Mickey exited the TARDIS, Rose following close behind. I watched on the monitor as the pair of them walked away hand in hand.

"So, what's on?" Jack asked.

"Rose and Mickey are going out, I can't say blame them," I said. Jack and the Doctor nodded.

"I gather it's not always like this," I heard Margaret say. "Having to wait." The three of us ignored her. "I bet you're always the first to leave, Doctor. Nevermind the consequences, off you go. You butchered my family and ran for the stars, am I right? But not this time. And you, Evelyn Viviana Davis, you just go with him, wherever he goes. But not this time. At last, you have consequences. How does it feel?"

"I didn't butcher them," the Doctor spoke.

"Don't answer back. That's what she wants," Jack warned.

"I didn't!" the Doctor said, needing Jack to understand. I put my hand on the Doctor's arm and he immediately relaxed before turning to Margaret. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Margaret asked.

"You had an emergency teleport," I explained, catching onto the Doctor's thoughts. "You escaped to safety, leaving your family behind to die."

"It only carries one," Margaret argued. "I had to fly without coordinates. I ended up in a skip on the Isle of Dogs." The Doctor laughed and I covered my mouth to stifle mine. "It wasn't funny."

"Sorry." Margaret turned around and looked at us seriously. "It is a bit funny." The Doctor cracked up again. Jack and I soon followed, unable to contain our laughs. Margaret even joined in a few seconds later.

"Do I get a last request?" she asked.

"Depends what it is," the Doctor replied growing serious again.

"I grew quite fond of my little human life. All those rituals. The brushing of the teeth and the complicated way they cook things. There's a little restaurant, just around the Bay. It became quite a favorite of mine." The Doctor and I exchanged looks before he walked up to her.

"Is that what you want? A last meal?" he asked her.

"Don't I have rights?"

"Oh, like she's not going to try and escape," Jack called.

"Except I can never escape the Doctor so where's the danger?" Margaret argued. "But I wonder if you could do it. To sit with a creature you're about to kill and take supper. How strong is your stomach?"

"Strong enough," the Doctor said.

"I wonder. I've seen you fight your enemies… now dine with them."

"You won't change my mind."

"Prove it."

"There are people out there. If you slip away just for one second they'll be in danger."

"Except I've got these," Jack cut in. He held up two silver bracelets. "You both wear one. If she moves more than ten feet away…" Jack made a buzzing noise and mimicked electrocution. "She gets zapped by 10,000 volts."

"Margaret, would you like to come out to dinner? My treat," the Doctor offered.

"Dinner in bondage… works for me," Margaret replied with a sick smile. Jack gave each of them a bracelet and they put them on.

"Viviana?" the Doctor asked. I looked up from what I was doing at the console. "Would you like to join us?"

"Um, no. Sorry, Doctor. I'm going to stay here and help Jack prepare the TARDIS," I replied. It was nothing against the Doctor, but I was not comfortable going anywhere with that woman, let alone sitting down and having a meal with her. The Doctor's face fell but he nodded.

'_I'm sorry.'_

'_It's okay, Viviana. I understand.' _

'_I just don't want to be anywhere near that woman. And… this "Bad Wolves" thing is really getting me thinking. I'll tell you about it later.' _The Doctor nodded and he left the TARDIS with Margaret.

"I'm going to the kitchen," I told Jack. "Want anything?"

"Just coffee. I have a feeling it's going to be a long night. One sugar, please." I nodded and walked towards the kitchen. I went to the kitchen and quickly made a pot of coffee. I put in one sugar for Jack and two for me before carrying the mugs to the console room.

"I bring coffee!" I called coming into the console room. Jack popped up from under the console grinning.

"Perfect. You're the best, Ana." I smiled and handed him his mug.

"Don't you forget it," I joked. Jack smiled and we sat down on the captain's chair.

"So, Rose has Mickey. What about you? Is there anyone special just waiting for you to come back?" Jack asked. I shook my head.

"No. I've never had anyone special," I told him. Jack looked genuinely surprised.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, I've never really been truly interested in someone. But that could just be me."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked.

"Well, you know I'm not human right?" Jack nodded. "Basically, my species only fall in love once in their life."

"Once?"

"Once," I said with a nod.

"Talk about dedication," Jack said. I gave a small laugh.

"You need to finish wiring up the extrapolator. The sooner we get rid of Margaret the better," I said.

"Can't argue there," Jack agreed. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Want another cup?" I asked.

"Nah." I grabbed our two empty mugs and took them back to the kitchen. From there, I went to my room and began thinking about "Bad Wolves". I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but I got nothing done when the TARDIS suddenly rumbled and shook. I looked up in shock and raced towards the console room to find Jack ripping wires out of the extrapolator.

"What happened?" he didn't answer as the Doctor raced into the TARDIS with Margaret.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked angrily.

"It just went crazy!" Jack exclaimed.

"It's the rift. Time and space are ripping apart," the Doctor explained coming to the console. The lights in the room flashed on and off as the Doctor, Jack, and I worked. I flinched back as the console sparked. "The whole city's going to disappear." I helped Jack unwire the extrapolator, ignoring the small explosions on the console and the flickering lights.

"It's the extrapolator!" Jack cried.

"Doctor, it's disconnected but it's still feeding off the engine!" I yelled to him.

"It's using the TARDIS, we can't stop it," Jack finished.

"Nevermind Cardiff, it's going to rip open the planet!" the Doctor said. My eyes widened as he said this.

"What is it? What's happening?" Rose cried coming into the TARDIS.

"Oh, just little me," I heard Margaret say gleefully. Margaret's real arm came out of the suit and she trapped Rose's neck in her claws.

"Rose!" I cried. The Doctor ran forward but stopped when Margaret spoke.

"One wrong move and she snaps like a promise."

"I might've known," the Doctor said.

"I've had you bleating all night, poor baby. Now, shut it," Margaret said. She turned to Jack. "You, fly boy. Put the extrapolator at my feet." Jack didn't move and Margaret tightened her hold on Rose. I winced when I heard Rose choke. Jack looked at the Doctor and he nodded. Jack did as he was told.

"Thank you," Margaret said sickly sweet. Jack and I glared at her. "Just as I planned."

"I thought you needed to blow up the nuclear power station," Rose managed to get out.

"Failing that, if I were to be arrested, then anyone capable of tracking me down would have considerable technology of their own. Therefore they would be captivated by the extrapolator. Especially a magpie mind like yours, Doctor. So the extrapolator was programmed to go to Plan B!" Margaret pulled on one of Rose's braids and the blonde girl whimpered. "To lock onto the nearest alien power source and open the rift. And what a power source it found." The TARDIS rumbled even harder. "I'm back on schedule. Thanks to you."

"You're really willing to open a rift and destroy a whole planet to escape?" I spat at her. I was absolutely disgusted. After all that talk to try and make us feel guilty about taking her to her death and now look what she was doing. She hadn't changed at all from the last time I met her. She still made me sick. Margaret flashed me a twisted smile. She wrenched Rose to the side, but kept a grip on her neck.

"While I ride this board over the crest of the inferno, all the way to freedom, you will die. Stand back boys and girls. Surf's up." The console flashed and suddenly, one of the panels opened. A bright, white light came out and Margaret looked straight into the light while Rose flinched and looked away.

"Of course, opening the rift means you'll pull this ship apart," the Doctor said.

"So sue me," Margaret replied bitterly.

"It's not just any old power source. It's the TARDIS. My TARDIS. The best ship in the universe."

"It'll make wonderful scrap."

"What's that light?" Rose cried, struggling to see.

"The heart of the TARDIS. You've opened its soul."

"You see, Margaret, this ship is alive. And you've just threatened her life. Do you really think she's going to give in without a fight?" I asked her. Margaret nervously looked down into the heart of the TARDIS.

"It's… so bright," she breathed.

"Look at it, Margaret," the Doctor said.

"Beautiful."

"Look inside, Blon Fel Fotch." I assumed this was Margaret's real name. "Look at the light." A look of wonder came across Margaret's face as she looked at the light. Rose stumbled out of her grip and went over to Jack's side. A genuine, blissful smile came across Margaret's face as she looked up at the Doctor.

"Thank you," she said softly. The light brightened and consumed Margaret.

"Don't look. Stay there. Close your eyes." Jack, Rose and I did as the Doctor instructed and I heard him close the panel, extinguishing the light. "Shut it down. Shut it all down. Shut down!" The Doctor, Jack, Rose, and I sprang into action. Between the four of us, we were able to shut down everything fairly quickly. The TARDIS sparked throughout the whole process, all of us getting slightly burnt. Then, the TARDIS stilled and everything quieted. The friendly glow came back and it looked like everything was back to normal.

"Nicely done. Thank you, all," the Doctor said.

"What happened to Margaret?" Rose asked. I turned around, she was gone.

"Must've got burned up. Carried out her own death sentence," Jack said.

"No, I don't think she's dead," the Doctor disagreed. I followed his gaze and saw Margaret's skin suit lying on top of the extrapolator. But something else was there too. It looked like… an egg.

"Then, where'd she go?" Rose asked.

"She looked into the heart of the TARDIS. Even I don't know how strong that is. And the ship's telepathic, like I told you, Rose. Gets inside your head, translates alien languages. Maybe the raw energy can translate all sorts of thoughts." The four of us gathered around the Doctor and he held up the egg. "Here she is."

"She's an egg?" Rose asked.

"Regressed to her childhood," the Doctor explained.

"She's an egg?" Jack repeated Rose's question. Both of them had a tone of disbelief. I couldn't quite believe it either but she was right there in front of our eyes.

"She can start again. Live her life from scratch," the Doctor said. "If we take her home, give her to a different family, tell them to bring her up properly, she might be all right."

"Or she might be worse," Jack pointed out.

"In the end, it's her life," I said. "She makes her own choices."

"She's an egg," Rose repeated.

"She's an egg," the Doctor confirmed.

"Oh, my God, Mickey!" Rose suddenly cried. She jumped up and raced outside the TARDIS. My eyes widened. I had forgotten all about Mickey in the midst of everything. Where was he? He was out with Rose, shouldn't have he come back? I felt guilty about forgetting him, but didn't follow after Rose. The Doctor, Jack, and I cleaned up the TARDIS and by the time we were ready to go, Rose was back.

"We're all powered up, we can leave. Opening the rift filled us up with energy," the Doctor told her. "We can go if that's all right."

"Yeah, fine," Rose said like nothing was wrong. I looked at her and frowned. Something was definitely wrong. I walked up to her and squeezed her in a hug which she returned.

"Mickey's gone, isn't he?" I asked. Rose nodded, her eyes becoming sadder.

"Do you want to go and find him? We'll wait," the Doctor said. Rose shook her head.

"No need. He deserves better." It was then I saw the slight wetness of her cheeks. Rose had been crying.

"Off we go, then. Always moving on," the Doctor said.

"Next stop, Raxacoricofallapatorious," Jack said. "Now you don't often get to say that."

"We'll stop by and pop her in the hatchery. Margaret the Slitheen can live her life again! A second chance," the Doctor said.

"That'd be nice," Rose murmured. Only I heard her.

"Get some sleep, Rose," I whispered. She nodded and walked off, towards her bedroom. Jack and the Doctor flew the TARDIS and I walked to my own bedroom.

'_When you get a chance, we need to talk about this "Bad Wolves" thing,'_ I said to the Doctor. He didn't reply, but I knew he agreed and understood. I began mapping out all I knew about Bad Wolves, which wasn't much. It was more me writing down the incidents.

"What do you think it is?" I heard behind me some time later. I recognized the Doctor's voice and turned around.

"I have no idea," I sighed. "But this can't be a coincidence. We've run into these words too many times." I began reading off my list. "First, there was Gwyneth. She looked into our minds, Rose and me, and started talking about the craziness and darkness of our world. At the very end, she said, 'The big bad wolves.' Then, after you and I got back from Downing Street, the TARDIS was tagged with 'bad wolves.' We assumed it was a gang, but then it cropped up again at Van Statten's museum. Bad Wolves One and Two were his helicopters. Then, the same words were spray painted over a poster in London. I saw it when we went to go see Rose's dad. And just now, Margaret named her nuclear power station the same thing, only in Welsh." I left out how my dad had also mentioned "Bad Wolves".

"There was also at Satellite 5."

"You mean the place you took Adam? It was there too?" I asked.

"I saw the Face of Boe on a screen. It said Bad Wolves TV," the Doctor said. I frowned.

"What could this mean?" I cried exasperated and tired with the whole thing. I flopped down on the couch and the Doctor sat next to me. "Something tells me this isn't a reference to Little Red Riding Hood."

"Are we sure this isn't all a big coincidence?" the Doctor asked. He didn't exactly look convinced of that himself.

"Well, normally I would trust your judgment and would agree with you if you truly believed it was a coincidence. But Doctor, all of the occurrences have been on Earth, or very near it." The Doctor looked thoughtful. "Think about it. Before we met Jack, you had two companions who considered Earth their home. We were bound to return to it at some point. Besides that, there was telling where we would be. If someone sent this as a message, they wanted to be sure we saw it."

"But what does it mean? If it's a message, aren't we supposed to know what it means?" the Doctor asked. "What's this all about?"

"I don't know, but one thing's for sure. Someone wanted our attention badly."

"Well, now they've got it." The Doctor and I sat there in silence, pondering what the words could mean. Something about those words gave me one of my feelings. Something was off about them. I just didn't know what.


	12. Chapter 12

**Episode 12 "Bad Wolf"**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Bad Wolves**

"Here we go again, we've got our work cut out for us," I heard someone say. I opened my eyes but my vision was still fuzzy. I blinked a couple of times.

"I don't know, he's sort of handsome. Has a good lantern jaw," another voice said. "And she's got a very good complexion."

"Lantern jaws are so last year. And she's a little pale." I felt a hand on my arm.

"Ana? Are you okay?" I heard. I looked over and saw Jack sitting next to me. He helped me sit up.

"Jack, where are we? Where are the Doctor and Rose? What happened?" I questioned.

"I don't know," he replied. I looked around the white room and paused when I saw two robots standing in front of me and Jack.

"Sorry, but, nice to meet you ladies, but where exactly are we?" Jack started.

"We're giving you a brand new image," the TRIN-E said.

"No, hold on, we were with the Doctor…" Jack and I sat up and he paused. "Why, is there something wrong with what we're wearing?" Jack asked.

"It's all very 20th century. Where did you get that denim?" The ZU-ZANA asked.

"A little place in Cardiff. It was called The Top Shop." We had stopped there before finding the restaurant on the bay.

"Oh, design classic," ZU-ZANA said gliding around from Jack's right side.

"And what about you, where did you get that jacket?" TRIN-E asked. I looked at the white and purple robot in front of me.

"It was a gift from my grandfather," I said. What was going on? Why were Jack and I suddenly going to get makeovers?

"It's very nice on you. But we're going to have to find you some new colours," TRIN-E commented, "maybe get rid of the "biker chick" and "Oklahoma farm boy" things you've got going on." Jack and I looked at ourselves, slightly self-conscious. I had traded in my vans for boots again, but I still didn't think I looked like a biker chick. Jack stood up before helping me stand next to him. I was a little wobbly for some reason, but managed to stand on my own.

"Just stand still and let the Defabricator do its magic," ZU-ZANA said. I was about to ask what the Defabricator did when Jack beat me to it.

"What's the Defabricator?" Suddenly, Jack was hit with a beam of light. Seconds later, the same beam hit me right in the chest. In less than 10 seconds, Jack and I were standing there completely naked. I felt my face heat up, but didn't try to run. If I did, there was no telling what the robots would do to me.

"Okay… Defabricator. Does exactly what it says on the tin. Am I naked in front of millions of viewers?" Jack asked. I forgot about my embarrassment for a minute. Now was not the time for his narcissism to shine through.

"Absolutely!" Both robots answered.

"Ladies… your viewing figures just went up." My eyebrows furrowed in thought. Were we on… a TV show? Before I had time to ask, TRIN-E took me to the left side of the room while ZU-ZANA took Jack to the opposite side. I looked at the racks of clothing, accessories, and shoes, unsure about this. However, if I went along with it, I was more likely to get out of this unharmed. Not that they would harm someone on a TV show… right?

"Now, you have a slightly pale complexion so we don't too much light color. That would wash you out. But, I can also tell that bright colors might stand out too much against you. Why don't we start with something simple and typical for teenage girls in the early 21st century?" TRIN-E rattled off. She glided down the racks, grabbing various pieces along the way and handed them to me. I silently took them and began to get dressed. I slipped into the plain undergarments before looking at the rest of the outfit. I begrudgingly put on the light jean shorts. They just barely covered my bum. Well, that was fashion for my generation. I put on the grey tank top and green button up. I left the green shirt open and began rolling up the sleeves, like TRIN-E instructed me. Lastly, I put on the pair of grey converse and she led me out to the middle of the room, where Jack was standing, in a new outfit like me. He was flexing his muscles as ZU-ZANA explained the outfit.

"It's the buccaneer look. Little dash of pirate and just a tweak of President Schwarzenegger." My eyes widened at that.

"Not sure about the vest. What about a little bit of colour to lift it?" Jack suggested. He hadn't noticed me yet or my exposed legs. Honestly, I never wore shorts, always pants. Rose was the only one who had seen my knees, and that was because of our sleepovers.

"Absolutely not," ZU-ZANA answered Jack. "Never wear black with colour. It makes the colour look cheap and the black look boring. She barely managed to pull it off because that colour of blue worked for her." Jack looked over as ZU-ZANA mentioned me and he paused. I looked at his new outfit. It was a lot simpler than mine. He was wearing black leather pants and a white vest. When I looked back up at his eyes, they were looking down.

"If you are done looking at my legs," I spoke. Jack's eyes snapped to mine, "I think you look very good, but the outfit is very simple. You need to add a jacket otherwise it looks incomplete."

"My thoughts exactly," ZU-ZANA agreed. She turned to the rack and took one off.

"I kind of like the first one," Jack said.

"No, that's a bit too much Hell's Angel. I think I like the shorter one." ZU-ZANA handed Jack the jacket. "Look, waist length, nice and slimming, shows off the bum." She patted Jack's bum a couple times.

"Works for me," Jack said with a smile. ZU-ZANA turned to me.

"Now, let's see. Early 21st century fashion for a young female," she said. "The shorts do a very nice job of showing off her legs and shaping the bum. The tank top and shirt give a nice, relaxed look, especially with the sleeves rolled up."

"The green brings out her eyes and looks good with her hair colour," TRIN-E added. ZU-ZANA nodded in agreement.

"Yes, it's very nice and works for her. Now, once we've got an outfit, we can look at the face. Ever thought about cosmetic surgery?"

"I've considered it, yeah," Jack replied. "A little lift around the eyes, tighten up the jaw line, what do you think?" Jack moved closer to ZU-ZANA, beginning to flirt with her.

"Oh, let's have a bit more ambition," she said. "Let's do something cutting edge." I got a

bad feeling but didn't have time to dwell on it as ZU-ZANA had Jack change into something else. TRIN-E came forward with two kits in her hands.

"Now it's time for accessories, hair, and makeup," she said. I raised my eyebrows but didn't complain. She set down the kits and motioned for me to follow. I did and she came to a desk and box full of jewelry. "I think your legs are too bare, besides your tattoo. We could add a simple black anklet." I shrugged as TRIN-E looked over the options. A few seconds later, she handed me a thin, cloth anklet and I tied it around my right ankle as my tattoo was on my left leg.

"You've already got a necklace, a ring, and earrings so that should be good," TRIN-E said.

"Now, it's time for your hair. With such a simple outfit, it is acceptable to do a little more with your hair." I followed TRIN-E back out of the kits and she had me sit down before opening one. She began brushing my hair and Jack came back out in an all white tennis outfit. He swished the tennis racket around before pausing and looking in the mirror.

"No, I'm just not getting this. It's just too safe, too decent. And you'd never keep it clean," he said. ZU-ZANA went and talked to him while TRIN-E twisted my hair into a bun. However, she left just enough hair out of the bun to reach my shoulders. She then curled the strands into tight ringlets and framed my face and cheeks with them. She opened her second kit and began rattling off.

"Now, we need to add colour to your cheeks because of your paleness, alone with some light lip colour. Your eyes need to be lightly lined and shadowed. Your eyelashes are already black, but they are slightly short and un-curly." I bit back my revulsion for makeup and allowed her to doll me up even more. She penciled my eyes and added some grey and silver shadow. She put on mascara and allowed it to dry before curling my eyelashes. She added blush and a lip gloss before having me look in the mirror. The makeup was very light and not at all overdone. I almost liked it… almost. I looked unnaturally pretty and girly. My legs looked long and thin and I looked like a normal, teenage girl. I couldn't help but think how Rose would like the outfit. She had been trying to get in into shorts for months now.

"Phase two is ready," TRIN-E spoke.

"Bring it on, girls," Jack replied. The Defabricator once again made him naked.

"And now it's time for the face off!" TRIN-E said.

"What does that mean?" Jack asked. "Do Ana and I get to compete against each other?" I was slightly curious too and went to stand beside Jack.

"No, like I said, face… off." My eyes widened as I got what TRIN-E was saying. She lifted up tools and Jack's face fell.

"But, wouldn't it be a shame to make us look all pretty just to mess up our faces?" I tried.

"Oh, dear, this is not for you. This is for him," TRIN-E said.

"I think you'd look good with a dog's head," ZU-ZANA said to Jack.

"Or maybe no head at all. That would be so outrageous," TRIN-E suggested.

"Any plans, Jack?" I asked. I looked over at him and he winked. Normally, I would think he was flirting with me, but this time, I knew better.

"And we could stitch your legs to the middle of your chest," ZU-ZANA continued.

"Nothing is too extreme. It's to die for," TRIN-E informed him. Jack raised an eyebrow, not looking at all perturbed, but when he spoke, her had a warning tone.

"Hold on, ladies, I don't want to have to shoot either one of you."

"But you're unarmed," TRIN-E pointed out.

"You're naked," ZU-ZANA agreed. Jack merely reached behind him before pointing a small gun at him. My eyes widened. Where the hell did he hide that? "But… that's a Compact Laser Deluxe."

"Where were you hiding that?"

"You really don't want to know," Jack answered.

"Give me that accessory!" TRIN-E said coming towards him. Jack merely shot her head off before turning and doing the same to ZU-ZANA. Jack turned to me with a smile and came forward with open arms.

"Oh, Jack, wait!" I held up my hand and backed up. "You're naked!" I put a hand over my eyes and turned around. Jack laughed before muttering an apology. I heard him rustle about for a few minutes before he spoke.

"You can turn around now, Ana." I did. "Do I get a hug?" I rolled my eyes but couldn't help my smile. I ran into his arms and he hugged me tight. When we pulled away, I spoke.

"Let's get out of here." Jack nodded in agreement and began working. He somehow managed to connect his Compact Laser Deluxe to the Defabricator and made it one large gun.

"I'm going to go change," I muttered to myself, barely able to stand the makeup and shorts any longer.

"What? Why?" Jack asked as he was finishing up.

"I'm in shorts, and as attractive as you may find my knees, I can't stand them. The makeup is only making it worse."

"No, Ana, wait!" Jack stopped me by taking a hold of my arm. "What is so wrong with makeup and shorts?" I didn't answer. Now was not the time to talk about my insecurities.

"Jack, now's not the time," I tried.

"I had a feeling this was about more than showing off your legs," he muttered. Jack turned us to the mirror. "Nothing is wrong."

"Everything is wrong. My legs are showing and I'm in makeup. I look like a painted whore. That's not me, let me go change." I tried to get away but Jack snaked an arm around my waist and pinned me to his chest.

"Do you know what I see?" he asked. I felt his hot breath roll off my neck and I felt a small blush arise. "I see a strong, beautiful young woman who has nothing to be embarrassed about. There is nothing wrong with your body, no matter what you think." Jack had practically read me like a book. Most of the time, it seemed girls wanted to be thinner and thinner. I was the opposite. I was always conscious about how thin I was. It was thinner than most girls. I had chicken legs and barely any muscle. It didn't matter how much I worked out or ate, I just couldn't get any bigger and I was stuck thinking I was nothing but skin and bones. I turned around and looked at Jack. He truly seemed to believe what he said, just like I truly believed what I thought about myself. I hugged him in thanks and he returned it.

"Although… it's not just your knees. You should show off your legs more often. I love the tattoo," he whispered huskily into my ear. I pulled back and slapped him on the chest playfully. He laughed and grabbed his gun. He grabbed my hand and led us out of the room. We walked through the white hallway and out into a dark, room. We seemed to be on some kind of space station. I saw the big numbers on the wall that told me we were on floor 299. I couldn't help but be reminded of Rose's and the Doctor's adventure with Adam. They had been on Satellite 5, which had the floor numbers on each floor in big numbers like this. I shook it off though, this most likely wasn't the same place. Jack opened a door and looked at his wrist device.

"Two hearts, that's him. Which floor?" he said, "Besides this one." I blinked, realizing I must've been throwing off his readings. Jack got the answer and we stepped into the elevator. The ride was silent. Jack followed his wrist device and we soon found the Doctor and another woman.

"Viviana!" the Doctor cried. I smiled and ran into his arms. He spun me around and we laughed.

"Doctor, are we on Satellite Five?" I asked once he put me down. He turned serious and nodded.

"This is a game station, run by the Bad Wolves Corporation," he told me. My face fell and I realized that us being here wasn't an accident.

"Where's Rose?" I asked.

"She must still be inside the games. All the rooms are shielded," Jack said. The Doctor got to work with his sonic.

"If I can just get inside this computer. She's got to be here somewhere," the Doctor said.

"You'd better hurry up. These games don't have a happy ending," Jack said. I nodded in agreement, thinking about what the robots were going to do to Jack. I didn't know why they weren't going to do it to me, maybe they were planning something else for me.

"You think I don't know that?" the Doctor snapped. I went over and put my hands on his shoulders. He immediately relaxed and got back to work.

"There you go, patch that in. It's programmed to find her," Jack said handing the Doctor his wrist device.

"Thanks."

"Hey there," Jack said to the woman.

"Hello," she replied as they shook hands.

"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack introduced with a smile.

"Lynda Moss," she said.

"Nice to meet you, Lynda Moss." I rolled my eyes at Jack's flirting.

"Do you mind flirting outside?" the Doctor said not even looking up.

"I was just saying hello," Jack said indignantly.

"For you, that's flirting."

"I'm not complaining," Lynda said.

"Muchas gracias," Jack replied. Jack kissed her hand and Lynda giggled. I rolled my eyes and turned to her.

"I'm Viviana Davis," I introduced with a smile. Lynda returned it and we shook hands.

"It's not compatible!" the Doctor cried. "This stupid system doesn't make sense." Jack and the Doctor took the top off the computer to get a better look. "This place should be a basic broadcaster. But the systems are twice as complicated. It's more than just television. This station's transmitting something else."

"Like what?" Jack asked.

"I don't know."

"Maybe if we could find the TARDIS," I suggested, "we could figure it out. Where is it?

I mean, I remember coming back from Kyoto in 1336 and then the white light. I assume that was the transmat. But what could get inside the TARDIS?"

"Exactly," the Doctor said. "This system is way more powerful than a simple game station. This whole 'Bad Wolves' thing is tied up with me. Someone's manipulating my entire life. It's some kind of trap and Rose is stuck inside."

"Found her!" the Doctor cried after a few more minutes. "Floor 407."

"Oh, my God, she's with the Anne-Droid! You've got to get her out of there!" Lynda cried. The four of us raced into the elevator and went up to floor 407. I paced nervously, biting my nails nervously. Rose was in danger… terrible danger. If she was disintegrated I don't think I could ever forgive myself. The elevator finally got there after an antagonizing amount of time and the four of us looked around for her game room. We found it and the Doctor got to work.

"Stand back, let me blast it," Jack said.

"You can't," the Doctor told him. The Doctor finally got the door open.

"Rose!" I yelled in. I saw her standing at the podium.

"Stop this game!" the Doctor ordered. The four of us ran into the room. Rose and I ran towards each other. I didn't hear her warn us about the Anne-Droid, but I didn't care. Rose and I grabbed hands, but right as we were going to turn around, the Anne-Droid sent a beam at us. It hit Rose, and we looked back at the Doctor in fear. His eyes widened and he ran towards us. Then, my world went black. When I woke up, I was in the TARDIS. I blinked in confusion, why was I here? I looked around for Rose, but she wasn't there. I got up and stumbled to the door. The TARDIS hummed.

"I'm sorry, baby girl. I've got to find the Doctor, Jack, Lynda, and Rose." She hummed again, sounding resigned, and I left the TARDIS. I ran towards the door and tried to get out. I heard someone try to open the door.

"Hey! Let me out!" I yelled.

"Doctor," I heard faintly on the other side. "Someone's in there!"

"Let me out!" I yelled. A few seconds later, Jack came into the room, two guns around his shoulders. Despite this, he hugged me tightly.

"Are you okay? We thought you died! Where's Rose?" he asked.

"I don't know," I replied shakily. "I don't know where Rose is, but I ended up in the TARDIS. Jack, we've got to find her." I felt tears well up in my eyes. "I'm so scared, Jack. What if something happened to her?" Jack shushed me.

"We'll find her," he said softly. I nodded, but it did nothing to stop my tears and fear. "Go out to the Doctor." I nodded and walked out of the room while Jack went into the TARDIS. The Doctor immediately ran to me and hugged me.

"I'm sorry," I cried. "I don't know what happened. I'm so sorry, Doctor." The Doctor pulled back and wiped away my tears with his thumb.

"It's not your fault, Viviana," he whispered. He kissed me on the forehead and hugged me again. "I thought you were dead." He held me tighter and I realized just how worried the Doctor was. I hugged him back just as tight.

"If you're not holding us hostage, then open the door and let us out. The staff are terrified," a female programmer said. I glared at her.

"Says someone who kills off countless people every day for entertainment," I spat at her, my anger rising. If it weren't for them, none of this would've happened. I had the suspicion that the beam was a transporter, but there was still a part of me that was terrified Rose was dead.

"That's not our fault, we're just doing our jobs," she replied.

"And with that sentence you lost the right to even talk to me," the Doctor said darkly. "Now back off!" The Doctor shot the employees a disgusted look before grabbing my hand and took me to look at one of the screens. Right as we did, it fritzed and went to snow.

"That's just the solar flares. They interfere with the broadcast signal so this place automatically powers down. Planet Earth gets a few repeats. It's all quite normal," a male programmer informed us.

"Doctor…" I heard a woman say. I turned and looked at the woman I hadn't noticed. She was connected to multiple… what looked like wires. She looked slightly crazed and I felt sympathy for her. This must be the woman who controlled the station, the Controller she was called. I stepped away from the Doctor and approached her.

"Doctor?" the female programmer said.

"Whatever it is, you can wait," he said sorely.

"I think she wants you," she said. The Doctor looked up.

"Doctor… Doctor. Where's the Doctor?" the Controller said.

"I'm here," he said coming to stand beside me.

"Can't see. Blind, so blind," the Controller said. "All my life blind, all I can see is numbers. But I saw you.

"What do you want?"

"Solar flares hiding me, they can't hear me. My masters listen but they can't hear me now. The sun is so bright."

"Who are your masters?"

"They wired my head, the name's forbidden. They control my thoughts. My masters, I had to be careful. They monitor transmission but they don't watch the programmes. I could hide you in the games. I knew that you'd find me."

"My friend died inside your games," the Doctor replied coldly.

"Doesn't matter," the Controller said.

"Don't you dare tell me that!"

"They've been hiding. My masters, hiding in the dark space. Watching and shaping the Earth, so, so, so many years. Always been there, guiding humanity. Hundreds and hundreds of years."

"Who are they?" the Doctor demanded.

"They wait. They plan and grow in numbers, they're strong now. So strong, my masters…"

"Who are they?"

"But speak of you, my masters, they fear the Doctor."

"Tell me, who are they?" Suddenly, everything turned back on and I realized she could no longer talk to us. "When's the next solar flare?" the Doctor asked.

"Two years time," the male programmer replied.

"Fat lot of good that is!"

"Found the TARDIS," Jack said coming out of the room.

"We're not leaving now," the Doctor said.

"No, but the TARDIS and Ana worked it out," Jack said. "You'll want to watch this. Lynda, could you stand over there for me, please?"

"Jack, I'll do it," I said. I knew what he was planning and I didn't want Lynda to go through it. She really was a sweet woman. I went over and stood where he told me.

"Everybody watching? Okay, 3, 2, 1…" Jack pushed a button and a beam hit it, teleporting me away. I felt myself land and I nearly fell over. The Doctor steadied me and I nodded to him in thanks.

"It's not a disintegrator beam," I said. "It's a transmat beam."

"A secondary transmat system. People don't get killed in the games. They get transported across space. Doctor, like Ana, Rose is still alive!" the Doctor's eyes lit up and he smiled widely. The three of us threw our arms around each other and laughed with relief. Extremely happy that there was still hope to find Rose. The three of us got to work, trying to find her.

"She's out there somewhere," the Doctor said.

"Doctor! Coordinates 5.6.1." My eyes widened.

"They'll hear you! The solar flare's over!" I cried. She continued like she didn't hear me.

"No, my masters, no, I defy you!" she continued with the coordinates and I watched in horror as she convulsed and screamed. A few seconds later, the wires fell and she was gone. They had taken her. The male programmer came up.

"Look, use that," the male programmer said. He handed Jack a disk. "It might contain the final numbers. I kept a log of all the unscheduled transmissions."

"Nice, thanks," Jack said. Then he eyed the programmer. "Captain Jack Harkness, by the way." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm Davitch Pavale."

"Nice to meet you, Davitch Pavale."

"There's a time and a place," the Doctor said.

"This isn't either," I added.

"Are you saying this whole setup's been a disguise all along?" the female programmer asked.

"Going way back. Installing the Jagrafess a hundred years ago. Someone's been playing a long game," the Doctor replied. "Controlling the human race from behind the scenes for generations."

"Click on this," Jack said holding up a device to the Doctor. The Doctor pointed it up and clicked it. An image of empty space came up. "The transmat delivers to that point, right on the edge of the solar system."

"Then how did I end up in the TARDIS?" I asked. "My best guess is that I have a mental bond with the Doctor and he's connected to the TARDIS so I ended up there. That or she saved me, but if she did, why didn't she save Rose?" The Doctor looked uncomfortable. Not uncomfortable in the sense that he knew and didn't want to tell me, but in a way that told me he had no idea.

"There's nothing there," the female programmer said looking at the image of space.

"It looks like nothing because that's what this satellite does," the Doctor explained. "Underneath the transmission there's another signal."

"Doing what?" Davitch asked.

"Hiding whatever's out there," the Doctor answered. "Hiding it from sonar, radar, scanner. There's something sitting right on top of planet Earth but it's completely invisible." The Doctor sat down at one of the stations. "If I cancel the signal…" The Doctor pressed a few buttons and a ship appeared on the image. My eyes widened as I recognized the ship and I knew the Doctor did as well. The image zoomed out and pretty soon, we were looking at hundreds of the same type of ship. I stared at the image in horror.

"That's impossible," Jack said. "I know those ships. They were destroyed.

"Obviously they survived," the Doctor replied in a hushed voice. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly, for both of our sake's.

"Who did? Who are they?" Lynda asked oblivious.

"There are two hundred ships," I said quietly. "There are more than 2,000 on each of them. Almost half a million total. Doctor… Rose is on board one of those ships."

"Half a million of what?" Davitch asked.

"Daleks," the Doctor and I said at the same time. Suddenly, we got transmission into one of the ships. Rose was standing there, with three Daleks.

"I will talk to the Doctor," one of them said.

"Oh, will you? That's nice. Hello." I could tell the Doctor was trying to stay calm and normal, but it wasn't working. I knew his anger was building. Honestly, mine was too, but it was laced with lots of fear.

"The Dalek Stratagem nears completion. The Fleet is almost ready," the Dalek said. "You will not intervene."

"Oh, really? Why's that, then?"

"We have your associate. You will obey or she will be exterminated." I watched as Rose shifted nervously.

"No," the Doctor and I both said. I felt my anger start to rise and I knew his was too. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack, Lynda, Davitch, and the female programmer jerk their heads towards us and Rose's jaw dropped.

"Explain yourself," the Dalek demanded.

"We said: no," The Doctor told it.

"What is the meaning of this negative?"

"It means no."

"But she will be destroyed!"

"Tell them, Viviana," the Doctor said. I caught his double meaning and nodded.

"My name is Evelyn Viviana Davis. I grew up with my aunt and grandfather. My mother died after giving birth to me and my father died in combat. I grew up on Earth, but I am not human. I am an Incola." I smirked and the Daleks jerked back slightly. "We scare you just as much as the Time Lords. We are their twin species. Now you listen carefully, the Doctor and I are going to rescue her. She is our friend and we are not going to leave her there. We are going to come right in the middle of your Dalek Fleet and rescue Rose. After that, we're going to save the Earth, and then, just for fun, the Doctor and I are going to make sure no Dalek will ever see the light of day again." I said all of this completely calm. Some could mistake it as me not really caring, but I knew different. When I was completely calm and collected, it meant I wasn't just angry, I was furious. The Dalek's had killed my father, countless of Time Lords and Incolae, countless of humans, and were now holding Rose, my best friend, captive. They were not getting off so easy.

"But you have no weapons! No defenses! No plan!" the Dalek cried.

"Yeah. And doesn't that scare you to death?" the Doctor said grinning. "Rose?"

"Yes?" she replied.

"We're coming for you," I told her. Rose smiled, looking immensely relieved and I returned it.

"We're coming," the Doctor assured her. With that, he cut off the transmission. The Doctor, Jack, and I raced off to the TARDIS, ready to save Rose.


	13. Chapter 13

**Episode 13 "The Parting of Ways"**

* * *

**Chapter 13: The Return, the Regeneration, and the Revitalization**

"We've got incoming!" Jack said as we flew towards the Dalek ships. A few seconds later, I felt the TARDIS get hit, but we were perfectly fine. The ship only rumbled and shook violently. Honestly it was no different from when the Doctor was piloting her on his own. "The extrapolator's working. We've got a fully functional force field. Try saying that when you're drunk." The Doctor, Jack, and I frantically worked at the controls.

"And for my next trick…" the Doctor said. He pulled a lever and the TARDIS shot off. The TARDIS began materializing around Rose and a Dalek.

"Rose! Get down!" the Doctor cried once the engines stopped. The Dalek's headpiece swiveled around towards us. "Get down, Rose!"

"Exterminate!" the Dalek said. It shot at Jack, but he used the Defabricator to shoot back at the Dalek. It exploded and with a scream. I saw Rose stand up through the smoke. She and I made eye contact before running and hugging each other. When we let go, the Doctor wrapped her in a hug as well.

"Feels like I haven't seen you in years," Rose whimpered.

"We told you we'd come and get you," the Doctor told her. I nodded. There was no way in hell we were going to abandon her.

"Never doubted it," Rose said.

"I did," the Doctor admitted. "You all right?"

"Yeah. And you?"

"Not bad. Been better." Rose and I hugged again after the Doctor let go of her. Rose and I smiled at each other when we pulled away.

"Don't I get a hug?" Jack called.

"Oh, come here," Rose said with a smile.

"I was talking to him," Jack joked referring to the Doctor. They laughed and hugged tightly. "Welcome home."

"Oh! I thought I'd never see you again," Rose exclaimed.

"You were lucky. That was just a one-shot wonder," Jack told her. "Drained the gun of all its power supply. Now it's just a piece of junk." Jack went to help the Doctor examine the dead Dalek while Rose and I watched from the console.

"Are my eyes deceiving me, or are you wearing shorts?" Rose asked quietly. I laughed slightly.

"Jack and I ended up in the same place. It was a show like _What Not to Wear_. They gave us new outfits. I even got hair and makeup done before it was time for the face off."

"What? A competition?" Rose asked.

"No, literally face off. The robots kept commenting on how Jack would look good with a dog's head, or no head at all. They even talked about stitching his legs to his chest." Rose's jaw dropped.

"Seriously? That's mental! God, that's insane!"

"I know!" I agreed. The two of us laughed while I pulled at my shorts self-consciously. "I don't mind the outfit. I just wish the shorts were longer."

"They are a little short aren't they?" Rose said.

"They barely cover my bum and you can see my entire tattoo. That means they are too short," I replied. Rose laughed.

"Oh, but I love your tattoo," she said. "You should show it and your legs off more often."

"Jack said the same thing."

"He's right. You're a gorgeous young woman with legs a mile long. There's no need to hide them or be embarrassed." I looked over at her. What she said was so similar to what Jack had said. I nodded.

"I'm just not used to shorts," I replied. Rose nodded. We fell into a comfortable silence and watched the boys work. A few minutes later, Rose spoke.

"You said they were extinct. How come they're still alive?" she asked the Doctor.

"One minute they're the greatest threat in the universe, the next minute they vanish out of time and space," Jack replied.

"They went off to fight a bigger war," the Doctor said. "The Time War."

"I thought that was just a legend," Jack said surprised.

"I was there," the Doctor said.

"My dad died in the Time War," I told Jack. His face fell. I had told him my dad had died in a war, just not which war.

"The war between the Daleks and the Time Lords with the Incolae caught in the crossfire. Eventually, they joined our side, but it only made it worse. The whole of creation was at stake. Both of our people were destroyed but we took the Daleks with them," the Doctor explained. I put my hand on his shoulder, knowing this was hard for him to talk about. "I almost thought it was worth it. Now it turns out they died for nothing."

"There's thousands of them now. We could hardly stop one," Rose said. "What are we going to do?"

"No good stood around here chin-wagging. Human race, you'd gossip all day," the Doctor said cheerfully. "The Daleks have got the answers. Let's go and meet the neighbors."

"You can't go out there!" Rose protested. The Doctor ignored her, opened the door, and stepped out.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!" I heard. Several Daleks tried to shoot the Doctor, but none of the shots reached him. The Doctor held out his hands mockingly once they stopped shooting.

"Is that it? Useless. Nul points!" The Doctor mocked. He turned to Rose, Jack, and I. "It's all right, come on out. That force field can hold back anything."

"Almost anything," Jack said. I rolled my eyes and smacked him on the back of the head.

"Yes, but I wasn't going to tell them that. Thanks."

"Sorry." The Daleks remained silent and just watched us. It unnerved me a little bit, but I hid it. As long as the force field from the extrapolator was working, we would be fine.

"Do you know what they call me in the ancient legends of the Dalek homeworld?" the Doctor asked. "Viviana knows." My eyes widened slightly when I realized what he was talking about.

"The Oncoming Storm," I said.

"You might have removed all your emotions, but I reckon right deep down in your DNA, there's one little spark left. And that's fear." The Dalek's eyepieces twitched nervously and I smirked. I silently went to go stand next to the Doctor. "Doesn't it just burn when you face me? Doesn't it just burn when you face both of us?" The Daleks looked at me. My face was stoic, but I knew my anger was starting to build again. They quickly averted their gaze and remained silent.

"What I'm wondering is, how did you survive the Time War?" I asked them.

"They survived through me," I heard a deep, slow voice say. The Doctor and I turned, startled at the voice. We walked forward and a light turned on. The Doctor and I stared at the towering Dalek.

"Rose. Captain. Viviana. This is the Emperor of the Daleks," the Doctor said. I looked up at the creature, startled.

"You destroyed us, Doctor," the Emperor spoke. "The Dalek race died in your inferno. But my ship survived, falling through time, crippled but alive."

"I get it-"

"Do not interrupt!" a Dalek cut off the Doctor. I flinched and saw Rose and Jack had also.

"Do not interrupt!"

"Do not interrupt!"

"I think you're forgetting something," the Doctor said. He hadn't flinched and sounded more annoyed than anything. "I'm the Doctor and if there's one thing I can do, it's talk. I've got five billion languages and you haven't got one way of stopping me. So it anybody's going to shut up, it's you!" The Doctor whirled around and shouted at the Daleks and they wheeled back. When he turned back to the Emperor, his voice was light.

"Okie-doke. So, where were we?"

"We waited here, in the dark space," the Emperor started, "damaged but rebuilding. Centuries passed and we quietly infiltrated the systems of Earth, harvesting the waste of humanity." I frowned, what was that supposed to mean? "The prisoners, the refugees, the dispossessed, they call came to us. The bodies were filleted, pulped, sifted." I nearly gagged. "The seed of the human race is perverted. Only one cell in a billion was fit to be nurtured."

"So you created an army of Daleks out of the dead," the Doctor said.

"That makes them… half human," Rose realized.

"Those words are blasphemy!" the Emperor yelled.

"Do not blaspheme!"

"Do not blaspheme!"

"Do not blaspheme!" Daleks cried. I frowned. Daleks talking about blasphemy? How did they even have a concept of blasphemy?

"Everything human has been purged," the Emperor insisted. "I cultivated pure and blessed Dalek."

"Since when did the Daleks have a concept of blasphemy?" the Doctor asked, thinking the same as me.

"I reached into the dirt and made new life," the Emperor said. "I am the God of all Daleks!"

"Worship him!"

"Worship him!"

"Worship him!"

"They're insane," The Doctor breathed. My eyes widened. The Doctor and I looked at each other.

"A hundred years in dark space would make anything go bonkers," I said. "But they've got it worse. They hate themselves, their own existence."

"Driven mad by their own flesh," the Doctor spoke. He and I looked at the Daleks with pity. "The stink of humanity. You hate your own existence."

"That only makes them more deadly," I finished.

"You remind me of a man I killed," the Emperor spoke. I froze. "Ronan, Prince of the Incolae, heir to the throne of Domum." I felt my anger flare up to the point where I was completely stoic. I turned around and faced the Emperor.

"You killed him?" I asked.

"Yes," I heard. I looked to my left and saw James, no, Ronan, my dad, standing next to me. "We had managed to capture the Emperor on Domum, but before we could kill it, he escaped. Killed me and my men before flying away." I looked back up at the Emperor. He was twitching nervously. I snuck glances at the Daleks. They had all backed up away from us. Even the Doctor, Rose, and Jack looked nervous.

"I don't think you quite understand who I am," I told the Emperor.

"You are the last of the Incolae."

"I am. But this man, the prince you killed, just so happens to be my father." The Emperor twitched again and I heard the Daleks back up even farther. I heard the Doctor, Rose, and Jack gasp.

"My daughter inherited a trait many Incolae had. When she's angry, she's scary. But when she's furious, she's terrifying. When she's furious, she is completely calm, just like she is now. Just like I am now."

"You can do nothing," the Emperor insisted.

"Maybe not," Dad admitted. "But she can. And so can the Doctor."

"Listen up, all of you," I said turning to all the Daleks. "I am going to do everything in my power to make sure none of you live another day. The Daleks will cease to exist. And you," I turned to the Emperor, "I have something special for you. It wouldn't matter if he was my father or not, but it definitely adds to it. I am going to personally see to it that you get what you deserve, a slow and painful death. Have I made myself clear?" The Daleks wheeled back even farther and twitched nervously. Even the Emperor seemed a little nervous.

"I'll help," I heard three voices behind me say. I turned and looked at the Doctor, Rose, and Jack. They looked just as determined as I was.

"We're going," I said.

"You may not leave my presence!" the Emperor yelled. The four of us ignored him and the Doctor grabbed my hand as we walked away. I had to fight a blush though. Usually when we held hands, they were just clasped together. This time, the Doctor had laced our fingers together. I bit my lip to keep from smiling giddily, despite the situation. Dad faded back into my necklace and we ignored the cries and shots of the Daleks as we entered the TARDIS.

"Remind me to never piss you off," Jack commented as we flew the TARDIS back to Satellite Five. I managed a small smile.

"Viviana?" I turned and faced Rose. "That was amazing!" I smiled wider this time, but I was shaken. I had managed to scare the Daleks, my friends, and myself. Jack and I got us back to Satellite Five and the Doctor marched out.

"Turn everything up! All transmitters, full power, open wide, now! Do it!" the Doctor commanded.

"What does that do?" Davitch asked.

"Stops the Daleks from transmatting on board," the Doctor replied. "How did you get on? Did you contact Earth?"

"Well, we tried to warn them, but all they did was suspend our license because we stopped the programmes."

"And the planet's just sitting there. Defenseless," the Doctor said. "Lynda, what are you still doing on board? I told you to evacuate everyone!" The Doctor aimed the last part at Davitch.

"She wouldn't go," Davitch said.

"I didn't want to leave you," Lynda said. My heart panged at the way she said it. I saw Rose glare at her slightly.

"There weren't enough shuttles anyway, or else I wouldn't be here," the female programmer said. "We've got about 100 people stranded on Floor Zero."

"Oh, my God. The Fleet's moving," Davitch said. "They're on their way." I looked at the screen and cursed under my breath. The Doctor moved away and started ripping out wires from desks all over the room.

"Dalek plan, big mistake, 'cause what've they left me with? Anyone? Anyone? Oh, come

on, it's obvious!" the Doctor said. "A great big transmitter. This station! If I can change the signal, fold it back, sequence it? Anyone?"

"You've got to be kidding," Jack said working it out. I looked at him in confusion.

"Give the man a medal!"

"A Delta Wave?"

"A Delta Wave!" My eyes widened in shock.

"Are you serious?" I asked. I realized very quickly that the Doctor was very serious and I quickly went to go help him.

"What's a Delta Wave?" Rose asked.

"A wave of Van Cassadyne energy. It fries your brain. Stand in the way of a Delta Wave and your head gets barbequed," Jack explained.

"And this place can transmit a massive wave. Wipe out the Daleks!" Rose opened her mouth to say something when Lynda cut her off.

"Well, get started and do it, then!" Rose looked disgruntled.

"Trouble is, wave this size, building this big, brain as clever as mine, should take about, oh… three days."

"Hey!" I cried. I was helping.

"How long until the Fleet arrive?" the Doctor ignored me.

"22 minutes," Davitch said after looking at the computer. I scrambled and worked faster alongside the Doctor.

"We've now got a force field so they can't blast us out of the sky," Jack said. I looked over and saw he hooked up the extrapolator to the building. "But that doesn't stop the Daleks from physically invading."

"Do they know about the Delta Wave?" Davitch asked.

"They'll have worked it out at the same time. So, they want to stop the Doctor and Viviana, that means they've got to get to this level, 500. Now, I can concentrate the extrapolator on the top six levels, 500 to 495. So, they'll penetrate the station below that at Level 494 and fight their way up."

"Who are they fighting?" Davitch asked.

"Us," Jack answered.

"What are we fighting with?" he asked.

"The guards had guns with bastic bullets, that's enough to blow a Dalek wide open."

"There's five of us," the female programmer said.

"Rose, can you help us? We need these wires stripped," the Doctor called over.

"Right, now there's four of us," the female programmer said. I glared at her.

"You know, if you're going to act that way, you might as well not fight at all." She didn't reply.

"Let's move it!" Jack said. "Into the lift! Isolate the lift controls!"

"I just want to say… thanks. I suppose," I heard Lynda say. I looked over and saw her smiling at the Doctor. "And… I'll do my best!"

"Me too," the Doctor replied. The Doctor looked like he was going to kiss her forehead, but they awkwardly decided on shaking hands. They exchanged nervous laughs and I turned back to my work. However, I caught Rose glaring daggers at the woman. I frowned in confusion.

"I thought you didn't like the Doctor that way," I whispered to her. She looked over at me startled.

"I don't."

"Then what's with the death glare?"

"I guess I'm just jealous for you," Rose said. My eyes widened.

"What?" I exclaimed, louder than I meant. The Doctor looked over at us questioningly but didn't get the chance to say anything because Jack approached us.

"It's been fun," he said. I could tell he was trying to keep the mood light, but it wasn't working. "But I guess this is goodbye."

"Don't talk like that," Rose said. "The Doctor and Viviana are going to do it. Just you watch them."

"Rose," Jack said. He took her face in his hands. "You are worth fighting for." Jack gave her a quick kiss on the lips. He turned to the Doctor.

"Wish I'd never met you, Doctor. I was much better off as a coward." Jack put his hands on the Doctor's cheeks and kissed him the same way he kissed Rose. Jack turned to me.

"Jack Harkness, if you get all sappy on me, I swear I'll-" I was cut off by Jack putting his lips on mine and kissing me passionately. His arms were around my waist, pinning me to his chest. I closed my eyes and relaxed, but didn't get the chance to kiss back because he pulled away. I looked at him wide eyed. That kiss was much longer than the ones he had given to the Doctor and Rose.

"I can't help but wonder what it would be like if he wasn't in your life, what _we_ would be like," Jack said. My eyes widened at his confession. It was then that I realized Rose and Jack were right. They had both seen it. My feelings, Jack's hesitancy to flirt with me, Rose's constant teasing… I had feelings for the Doctor. I didn't know when it happened, or how long it had been, but I definitely had feelings for him. I don't know how I didn't realize it sooner, it was so obvious now. All these thoughts happened in a second and I came back to reality.

"Oh, Jack, I-"

"Hey, hey, hey. It's okay, Ana. It's okay." Jack's smile was genuine and sincere. He really meant it. That only made me feel worse. I bit my lip to keep tears back and threw my arms around him. Jack hugged me back just as enthusiastically. When he let me go, he smiled.

"See you in hell," he said to all of us. The Doctor, Rose, and I watched sadly as he ran off.

"He's going to be all right? Isn't he?" Rose asked. The Doctor didn't answer and we turned to our work, but Jack's voice made us turn back. "Oh, Ana! Show off those legs more often." I couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't worry, Jack. I'll make her show them off," Rose called. Jack smiled and laughed before running off again.

"You've got a tattoo," the Doctor said looking at my leg. I blushed.

"Yeah," I merely replied.

"How come I never noticed it before?"

"Because I always wear jeans," I told him. "This is probably the first time you've seen my legs." I blushed even more at the conversation. I cleared my throat and quickly got back to work. I tried not to look at the Doctor, but I occasionally looked over. Sometimes he was looking at his work, sometimes he would be looking at my legs. It only made my blush harder. I crossed my legs and began working again. After a few more minutes, the Doctor spoke.

"I like it."

"Come again?" I said.

"Your tattoo. I like it." The Doctor smiled slightly before going back to work. I blushed and looked down at it. On my left thigh was a tattoo of a fancy treble clef. On it was a staff with some notes. One of the lines of the staff extended up before thickening and wrapping around my leg a few times. The line stopped at my calf. There was a feather quill and ink pot on my skin, and it was made to look like the line had been drawn by the quill. It was a big tattoo and rather expensive. It took me three times to get it done. It represented the two things I loved most in life: writing and music. I caught Rose's eye and she shot me a cheeky wink before the both of us went back to work. A few minutes later, Rose spoke.

"Suppose…"

"What?" the Doctor asked not looking up.

"Nothing," Rose said.

"You said 'suppose,'" the Doctor said.

"No, I was thinking. I mean, obviously you can't, but you've got a time machine. Why can't you just go back to last week and warn them?"

"Besides the fact that they probably wouldn't believe him?" I spoke. "If he did do that, he would become part of events. He'd be stuck in the timeline."

"Yeah, I thought it'd be something like that," Rose said.

"There's another thing the TARDIS could do," the Doctor said. I looked up, confused. "It could take us away. We could leave." I blinked, having not even considered that. "Let history take its course. We go to Marbella in 1989."

"Yeah, but you'd never do that," Rose said.

"No, but you could ask," the Doctor pointed out. Rose and I exchanged looks. "Never even occurred to either of you, did it?" I shook my head honestly.

"Well, we're just too good," Rose replied. There was an electronic buzzing and the Doctor looked up.

"The Delta Wave's started building. How long does it need?" the Doctor said. He rushed over to one of the computers, Rose and I on his heels. Rose and I looked over his shoulder as he worked. Suddenly, his face fell as he got the answer.

"Is that bad?" Rose asked. The Doctor didn't reply and put his head in his knees. "Okay, it's bad. How bad is it?" The Doctor suddenly perked up and stood.

"Rose Tyler, Evelyn Viviana Davis, you're geniuses! We can do it!" The Doctor quickly kissed both of us on the foreheads and I swallowed my blush and hid a silly smile. "If I use the TARDIS to cross my own timeline… Yes!" My smile fell as he said that. That didn't sound right. The three of us ran to the TARDIS and went it. Despite, my suspicions, I walked up to the console.

"Hold that down, and keep position!" the Doctor told Rose.

"What's it do?" she asked.

"Cancels the buffers," the Doctor said. I frowned. Normally, I would know what that meant. But right now… something was wrong. I tried looking into the Doctor's mind but found I couldn't. My eyes widened. He was blocking me.

"Doctor?" I called. It was too late. He was out of the TARDIS. I waited a couple seconds, and when he didn't come back, I approached the door. I was about to open it when the engines started. I whirled around and looked at the console, startled. Then it all clicked.

"Doctor!" I yelled.

"Doctor, what are you doing? Can I take my hand off? It's moving!" Rose called.

"Doctor, stop!"

"Doctor, let us out!" Rose and I pounded and tugged on the doors, but they wouldn't budge.

"This is Emergency Programme One." Rose and I turned around when we heard the Doctor's voice. A hologram of the Doctor stood in front of the console, flickering every once in a while. "Rose, Viviana, now listen, this is important. If this message is activated then it can only mean one thing. We must be in danger. And I mean fatal. I'm dead or about to die in any second with no chance of escape." My face fell.

"No!" Rose cried.

"But that's okay, hope it's a good death," the Doctor continued. "But I promised to look after both of you, and that's what I'm doing. The TARDIS is taking you home, well, to Rose's home."

"I won't let you!" Rose protested.

"And I bet you're fussing and moaning now while Viviana is completely silent. Typical! But hold on and just listen a bit more. The TARDIS can never return to me. Emergency Programme One means I'm facing an enemy that can never get their hands on this machine. So this is what you should do, let the TARDIS die. Viviana, I'm completely blocking you out."

"I noticed," I whispered bitterly.

"That means you will no longer have the knowledge of how to fly the TARDIS. You might remember some of it, but not enough. Let the TARDIS die. Just let this old box gather dust. No one can open it, no one will even notice it. Let it become a strange little thing standing on a street corner. And over the years the world will move on and the box will be buried. And if you want to remember me, then you can do one thing. That's all, one thing." The hologram of the Doctor turned its head and seemed to be looking right at Rose. It was like it knew where she was standing. "Have a good life. Do that for me, Rose. Have a fantastic life." The hologram of the Doctor turned away from her and walked towards me.

"Viviana, if there was one thing I could change about my life, it would be my meeting you." My eyes widened. "And before you take that the wrong way, let me explain. Your life depends on our mental bond. Once I die, it will be gone, and you will soon follow. If we had never met, you would live out your life. You would have had a good, long life. And I've now taken that from you." The Doctor's eyes were so full of emotion, like he was really looking at me and saying all of this. My eyes filled with tears and before I could hold them back, they were falling. "I'm sorry, Viviana. I am so sorry." The hologram flickered before fading.

"You can't do this to me. You can't," Rose said. She ran over to the console and began pushing buttons and pulling levers at random. "Take me back! Take me back!" The TARDIS materialized and I opened the door shakily. I looked out and saw the Powell Estate, where Rose lived. I stepped out and Rose quickly followed before going back into the TARDIS and trying again. I leaned back against the side of the TARDIS before slowly falling to the ground. Tears were still rolling down my face. I heard Rose come out of the TARDIS. I saw Mickey run up to us from down the street.

"I knew it!" he said. "I was all the way down Clifton Parade and I heard the engines. I thought, 'There's only one thing that makes a noise like that.'" Mickey paused and seemed to realize Rose's and my moods. "What is it?" Rose didn't say anything as she began to cry. Mickey wrapped her in a hug and looked at me for an explanation. I merely looked away, more tears falling down my face. I slid down to the ground and buried my face in my knees before sobbing. I felt someone put their arms around me and shush me. I looked up and saw it was Jackie. She looked at me confused but I only cried harder. Jackie hugged me while Mickey comforted Rose. At one point, they switched spots and I clung to Mickey. Once Rose and I were done, we explained the situation to them. Later, Rose and I found ourselves sitting inside a chip shop with Mickey and Jackie sitting across from us.

"And it's gone up-market, this place," Jackie said. "They're doing little tubs of coleslaw now. It's not very nice. It tastes a bit sort of clinical." Mickey and Jackie were both eating their chips while trying to have a normal conversation. Rose and I hadn't touched ours and neither of us were really paying attention to the conversation.

"Have you tried that new pizza place on Minto Road?" Mickey asked.

"What's it selling?"

"Pizza."

"Oh," Jackie said. "That's nice. Do they deliver?"

"Yeah." With that, Mickey and Jackie stopped trying to have a normal conversation.

"Oh, have something to eat," Jackie said to the both of us. I felt sick at the thought of eating right now.

"200,000 years in the future he's dying and there's nothing we can do," Rose said.

"Well, he's not dead yet. I'd be able to feel it," I commented. "But still…"

"Well, like you said, 200,000 years. It's way off," Jackie tried.

"But it's not, it's now," Rose insisted. "That fight is happening right now. And he's fighting for us! For the whole planet! And we're just sitting here eating chips!"

"Listen to me. God knows I've hated that man, but right now I love him and do you know why?" Jackie said. Rose and I both looked at her. "'Cause he did the right thing. He sent you back to me. He sent you both back to me."

"What do we do we do every day, Mum?" Rose asked. "What do we do? Get up, catch the bus, go to work, come back home, eat chips, and go to bed, is that it?"

"It's what the rest of us do," Mickey said coldly.

"But, I can't!" Rose and I both cried.

"Why, 'cause you're better than us?" Mickey asked bitterly. I looked at him.

"Do you know what my life expectancy is, Mickey?" I asked. He froze and shook his head. "I am supposed to be able to live for thousands of years and you expect me to do that every day? I can't."

"I thought you said you were supposed to die," Mickey said.

"I am. But if by some miracle that man survives, I am going to find him. I am not just going to sit here living a monotone, repetitive life. I can't do it. I just can't. And neither can Rose."

"It was a better life," Rose admitted. "We don't mean all the travelling and… and seeing aliens and spaceships and things, that don't matter. The Doctor showed us a better way of living your life. You know he showed you, too." Mickey looked down at that. "That you don't just give up. You don't just let things happen. You make a stand. You say no. You have the guts to do what's right when everyone else just runs away! And we just can't!" Rose stood up, banging into the table and ran out of the shop. I sighed and felt my eyes fill with tears again.

"Does she love him?" Jackie asked. I looked up.

"In a way. In the way one loves their best friend. But she's right… we can't just stay here and do nothing. I will go insane. I have to find a way to save him. It's not about saving my own life. It's about saving the man I…" I trailed off and squeezed my eyes and mouth shut.

"Do you love him?" Jackie whispered.

"No," I admitted after a pause. "But I do have feelings for him. I just don't love him yet. But that doesn't matter. This man is all I have left."

"You have us, sweetheart," Jackie said. She took my hand and I looked at her. I gave her a small smile before standing and kissing her head.

"I'm going to go find Rose," I said. Jackie nodded and I left the shop. When I found her, she was sitting on a bench, staring into space. I didn't say anything and sat down next to her. A few minutes later, Mickey found us.

"You can't spend the rest of your life thinking about the Doctor," he told us.

"How do we forget him?" Rose asked.

"You've got to start living your own life," Mickey said. "A proper life. Like the kind he's never had." I stood up from the bench and walked a few feet away, my eyes widening. "The sort of life you could have with me." Rose walked up next to me and we both stared at the ground. There, in big chalk letters were the words, "Bad Wolves." Rose and I exchanged looks. I looked up at one of the brick walls.

"Rose…" I gasped. She followed my gaze. "Bad Wolves" was graffitied all over the wall in different sizes and colors. "It's all over the place."

"That's been there for years," Mickey said. Rose and I were already running. "It's just a phrase, it's just words!"

"I can't believe it," I breathed to Rose. "I was right. It's a message. Think about it, these words have been following us everywhere all over time. From 1869, to now, to 200,000 years in the future."

"It's a link between us and the Doctor. 'Bad Wolves' here. 'Bad Wolves' there."

"But if it's a message, what's it saying?" Mickey asked.

"It's telling us we can get back. The least we can do is help him escape!" Rose said. The two of us turned and ran off back towards the TARDIS. When we got there, Rose and I began planning.

"All the TARDIS needs to do is make a return trip. Just reverse. Do you remember anything, Viviana?" she asked me. I racked my brain.

"Um… I remember that the TARDIS makes the wheezing noise because the Doctor

leaves the brakes on. Not that it helps… sorry," I replied.

"So we still can't do it," Mickey said.

"The Doctor always said the TARDIS was telepathic. This thing is alive, it can listen," Rose told him.

"It's not listening now, is it?" Mickey asked.

"We need to get inside it," Rose said. With a jolt, I realized what she was planning. She wanted to open up the heart of the TARDIS like with that happened with Margaret. "Last time I saw you with the Slitheen, this middle bit opened. And there was this light."

"It's the heart of the TARDIS," I explained. "Rose, this is dangerous. Even if we could get the panel to open, there's no telling what will happen. Even the Doctor doesn't know how powerful this is, he said it himself. I'll help, but at the same time, I'll try to remember how to fly her. Maybe then we won't have to open her up." Rose nodded.

"Rose, Viviana, if you go back you're going to die," Mickey said.

"I'll die anyway if the Doctor does," I replied.

"That's a risk I've got to take," Rose said. "Because there's nothing left for me here."

"Nothing?" Mickey asked. Rose avoided his eye, knowing how much she hurt him by saying what she felt.

"No," she admitted.

"Okay, if that's what you think," Mickey said, "let's get this thing open." I sat down on the captain's chair, trying to remember how to fly the TARDIS while Mickey and Rose got to work trying to get the panel open. At one point, they attached a chain to the console and Mickey's car. Mickey tried to force it open with his car, but the chain snapped and the console remained closed. I walked up to it.

"Come on, baby girl," I coaxed. I stroked the rotor and looked at her sadly. "Don't you want to save the Doctor too?" The TARDIS gave a small hum. It sounded like she was saying yes. "Then help us." The console remained closed and the TARDIS remained silent. I looked to the right and saw Grandpapa's hat on the console. I reached for it and put it on, not at all caring if it went with my current outfit or now. I sighed and went back to the captain's chair. Rose sat down, looking defeated and Jackie came inside.

"It was never going to work, sweetheart," she said. "And the Doctor knew that. He just wanted you to be safe. He wanted both of you to be safe." I looked up at her.

"I can't give up," Rose replied.

"Lock the door. Walk away," Jackie said firmly.

"Dad wouldn't give up," Rose said.

"Well, he's not here, is he?" There was a pause. "And even if he was, he'd say the same."

"No, he wouldn't. He'd tell me to try anything. If I could save the Doctor's life, try anything."

"We're never going to know."

"Well I know, 'cause I met him." Jackie paused. "I met Dad."

"Don't be ridiculous," Jackie said quietly.

"The Doctor took me back in time and I met Dad."

"Don't say that."

"You remember when Dad died, there were two girls with him? Two girls, a blonde girl and a brunette girl. They held his hands." Rose sounded close to crying. Jackie looked at me and I nodded. "You saw them from a distance, Mum! You saw them. Think about it. That was me and Viviana. You saw us." Rose was crying now.

"Stop it!" Jackie finally spoke.

"That's how good the Doctor-"

"Stop it! Just stop it!" Jackie shouted before running from the TARDIS. I put my arm around Rose and she cried into my shoulder. I didn't say anything and just let her cry. Soon, she was done and she and I walked outside. Mickey was leaning against his car and we joined him.

"There's got to be something else we can do," Mickey said. "Viviana, are you remembering anything." I shook my head sadly.

"Mum was right. Maybe we should just lock the door and walk away," Rose said. I looked over at her, startled.

"I'm not having that," Mickey said immediately. "I'm not having you just give up now, no way. Viv's not giving up."

"No way in hell," I said, confirming Mickey's statement.

"We just need something stronger than my car," Mickey continued. "Something bigger. Something like that." I followed Mickey's gaze and saw a massive recovery truck coming around the corner. I smiled when I saw Jackie in the driver's seat. She parked it and got out.

"Right, you've only got this until 6:00, so get on with it."

"Mum, where the hell did you get that from?" Rose asked with a tone somewhere between astonished and amused.

"Rodrigo. He owes me a favour," Jackie said. "Nevermind why, but you were right about your dad, sweetheart. He was full of mad ideas and it's exactly what he would have done. Now, get on with it before I change my mind." Jackie tossed the keys to Mickey and he ran into the truck. Rose and I darted into the TARDIS and before long, we were pulling on the console again.

"Keep going!"

"Put your foot down!"

"Faster!"

"Give it some more, Mickey!"

"Keep going!"

"Come on! Come on!"

"Keep going!"

"Give it some more!" Rose and Jackie were alternating and I just watched the TARDIS. Suddenly, the chain broke and the console opened. Rose and I stared into it and I heard the engines start. The light came towards us and flowed into us. I felt a warm energy surge through me.

"Rose! Viviana!" Mickey yelled. The TARDIS doors slammed shut and it dematerializing. Rose and I continued to stare at the heart of the TARDIS. I couldn't look away. As the heart of the TARDIS flowed into me and Rose, I felt power and energy fill me. I felt very powerful, like I could do anything. I hated it, but I knew what had to be done. The TARDIS materialized and the doors opened. Rose and I stepped out, in perfect sync. I saw the Doctor cover his eyes from the golden light surrounding Rose and I. The Doctor looked upon us with awe and fear and fell back.

"What've you done?" he breathed. Rose and I, in perfect sync, looked at him. Golden light from the time vortex billowed around us. Rose and I spoke together and both of our accents vanished.

"We looked into the TARDIS. And the TARDIS looked into us."

"You looked into the time vortex," the Doctor said. "No one's meant to see that."

"These are the abominations!" the Emperor cried. Rose and I looked up.

"Exterminate!" Two Dalek's shot at us. Rose and I held up our hands. The bolts stopped and went back into their gunsticks.

"We are the Bad Wolves. We create ourselves." We looked up from the Doctor to the "Bad Wolves Corporation" sign. "We take the words. We scatter them in time and space. A message to lead ourselves here."

"Rose, Viviana, you've got to stop this!" the Doctor cried. "You've got to stop this now! You've got the entire vortex running through your heads. You're going to burn!" Rose and I looked at him.

"We want you safe." The Doctor looked taken aback. "Our Doctor. Protected from the false God."

"You cannot hurt me! I am immortal," the Emperor said. Rose and I looked at him.

"You are tiny," we spoke. "We can see the whole of time and space. Every single atom of your existence and we divide them." Rose and I held up our hands. Two Daleks disintegrated into golden dust. "Everything must come to dust… all things. Everything dies." Rose and I continued with the rest of the Daleks in the room. "The Time War ends."

"I will not die!" the Emperor cried. "I cannot die!" Rose and I sent the power of the vortex towards the ships and destroyed them.

"Rose, Viviana, you've done it, now stop. Just let go," I heard the Doctor say. I nodded and began to focus on releasing the Vortex. Rose did not.

"But how can I let go of this?" Rose asked. "I bring life."

"You can't control life and death!" the Doctor insisted. Suddenly, Rose and I closed our eyes and I felt the Time Vortex leave me. Then, I screamed as I felt it get forced back in along with the half that was in Rose. Rose fell to the ground, unconscious and the Doctor rushed to her. He quickly carried her inside the TARDIS and came back out to me. I looked at him, my eyes bleary with tears and my head pounding.

"The power, Doctor. I hate it," I whispered. "It won't leave. My head! I can see everything. All that is, all that was, all that could ever be." The Doctor stood in front of me. "I hate it."

"That's what I see," he said. "And doesn't it drive you mad?"

"I hate the power, Doctor. I hate the power I already had," I cried softly, referring to my skills as an Incola. "But it won't leave. My head…" It was pounding and I felt the power of the vortex swirl through me. No matter how hard I tried, it wouldn't leave.

"I think you need a doctor," he said. The Doctor stood closer to me. I looked up at him and felt his lips come down on mine softly and his hands touch my waist. I felt the time vortex flow out of me as we kissed. Then, it was gone, and I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. When I came around, I was lying next to Rose in the TARDIS. She was waking up as well.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Don't you remember?" the Doctor asked. I looked over at him and everything came rushing back to me. Him sending us away, the Time Vortex, Bad Wolves, the Daleks, the Doctor's kiss. I blushed just thinking about it and stood up.

'_Are you okay?'_ I heard the Doctor ask. I practically fell over at hearing his voice, I was so relieved.

'_Yes. But remind me to never do that again.'_ I heard laughter in my head.

'_Do you remember anything?' _

'_I remember everything,'_ I told him. _'Every single second. Why doesn't Rose?'_

'_She's human. Her mind and body are weaker than yours.'_ I nodded and turned to help Rose up.

"It's like… there was this singing," Rose said.

"That's right, I sang a song and the Dalek's ran away." the Doctor replied cheerily.

"I was at home. No… I wasn't. I was in the TARDIS with Viviana and…" I saw the Doctor glance down at something and his face fell. I frowned, but then clutched my head in pain. I had a splitting headache. Then, I felt the liquid come from my nose. My eyes widened and I looked at the Doctor. I felt my knees give out and felt my body drop. I looked down at it. It was surrounded by a blue mist, like a force field. I looked down at myself. I was made out of blue mist. That could only mean one thing. I was revitalizing. I looked back up at the Doctor.

"Rose Tyler. Evelyn Viviana Davis. I was going to take you to so many places. Barcelona, not the city Barcelona, the planet Barcelona, you'd love it. Fantastic place. They've got dogs with no noses." The Doctor burst out laughing and Rose smiled. I merely stared at him. Something was wrong. "Imagine how many times a day you end up telling that joke and it's still funny!"

"Then why can't we go?" Rose asked.

"Maybe you will, and maybe I will, but not like this." My eyes widened as I realized what the Doctor was talking about.

"You're not making sense," Rose said.

"I might never make sense again. I might have two heads or no head! Imagine me with no head. And don't say that's an improvement."

"Doctor… please… you can't…" I breathed. Rose looked over at me.

"Viv! What's wrong?" she cried.

"My body's healing from the Time Vortex. Don't worry, Rosie, I'll be fine in a few hours," I explained quickly.

"It's a bit dodgy this process," the Doctor said. "You never know what you're going to end up with." The Doctor shot backwards with orange light. He clutched his stomach in pain and Rose rushed forward.

"No, Rose!" I yelled.

"Stay away," the Doctor said urgently.

"We've got to stay back," I whispered. Rose looked at me in confusion. I stared at the Doctor sadly, knowing this was going to happen and there was no way to stop it, no matter how much I wanted to.

"Doctor, tell me what's going on," Rose said.

"I absorbed all the energy of the Time Vortex and no one's meant to do that," he said. He grimaced in pain. "Every cell in my body is dying."

"Can't you do something?" Rose asked.

"He's doing it right now," I told her. "The process is a little bit different, but I'm doing the same."

"Time Lords have this little trick. It's sort of a way of cheating death," the Doctor said. "Except… it means I'm going to change…"

"What do you mean? Is Viviana going to change too?" Rose asked.

"No, I'm not, Rose," I said. "Like I said. They're different processes."

"I'm not going to see you again. Either of you. Not like this, not with this daft old face." I frowned. I liked his daft old face. "And before I go-"

"Don't say that!" Rose interrupted.

"Rose… Viviana… before I go I just want to tell you, you were fantastic." He smiled at us, looking proud. "Absolutely fantastic. And do you know what? So was I?" the Doctor shot us one last grin and we returned it before he threw his arms out and his head back. Orange regeneration energy blasted out of his arms and neck. Rose shielded her eyes from the bright light and backed behind a Y-column. I merely watched in sadness and wonder. Sadness because the Doctor was changing, but wonder because I was curious about what he would be like next. After a few seconds, the light faded and I was looking at a completely new man. He was slightly taller than the last Doctor. His hair was dark brown and slightly wild. His eyes were warm and brown. He was thinner and honestly… very good looking. I stared at him in curiosity and Rose came out from behind the Y-column.

"Hello, okay… oo." He suddenly stopped talking and I noticed the northern accent was gone. I cocked my head as he ran his tongue over his teeth. "New teeth. That's weird. So where was I? Oh, that's right, Barcelona!" Rose stared at him in shock and I smiled slightly. He faced me and grinned. I couldn't help but return it as I stared at the new Doctor.

To be continued in... New Feelings.


End file.
